Style guides provide a snapshot of a moving target. If you don’t own one, you can always consult Mr. Google or your A.I. tool of choice. But if you want prose with real punch, keep these in mind:

• Choose verbs that do something. Anything.
  Sentences that are built on the verb, to be, induce reader lethargy. You can tighten the prose by naming an action instead. Action verbs carry momentum, and momentum turns the pages.
• Put the most important word at the end.
  When a vivid word is the last word, the line lands with weight. A small shift in placement can amplify the impact of the whole paragraph.
• Trim the middle, not just the beginning or end.
  If you see two or more commas in a sentence, check the clause in the middle. It may belong elsewhere.
• Vary sentence length to create rhythm.
  When every sentence is the same length, the paragraph starts to look like a box on the page. A long sentence followed by a short one creates contrast and energy. If your adjectives and clauses have been running long, a short sentence can wake up the entire page.
• Break one long sentence into two.
  When a sentence stretches too far, it weakens. It often splits cleanly into two stronger pieces.

Those five not‑really‑rules are strategies. Consider them when you spot prose that should hit harder. Your readers will feel that shift and sink more deeply into the narrative.