Is your writing cluttered? Start by restructuring. Hone your editing skills. Remember that less is often more. Strong sentences are generally short and direct. Streamline – edit out unnecessary words. Frequent offenders include adverbs like ‘actually’, ‘basically’, currently’ and ‘seriously’. Rearranging a sentence can make it more intense. Let it become your automatic style. Whatever you write, consider it critically.

The birds are singing, the grass is getting greener and the snow is finally melting; which must mean that spring is finally here!

It is time to open your manuscript and take a good honest look. Do not rush to publication. Know when it is easier to rewrite than to revise. Play with tense and voice to find the right combo.

10 Tips on how to spring-clean your writing:

  • Outline your content.
  • Cut out the jargon.
  • Keep your writing simple and to the point.
  • Cut long sentences into two.
  • Remove excessive verbiage.
  • Use contractions.
  • Remove extra punctuation.
  • Use the active voice.
  • Avoid redundancies.
  • Have someone else proof read.

“Linda has published fifteen books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish.”