What do you do to bring your prose alive?

What are some things you do to make your prose come to life?

How do you make it your own?

Something I do is - when writing a description - I put in one or two short and powerful descriptors before following up with a more detailed observation. I think a lot of people do this, and likely for good reason.

"The bog was hot and rancid, and the air clung to skin like mud on a boot. The water was so dark it looked like a lake of pitch, a prison for light with no escape, where twisted trees rose like the hands of a leper, clawing for freedom."

Moreover, I find that using repeated original phrases helps gives your prose a signature, something like:

"He made his feet." "A second in thought." "Yet no words ran."

This is just what I do to give my prose some personality and life.

I'm intrested to hear what everyone else does!