Writing tip #8: Don't overdo adjectives and adverbs

Ouch! This is something I’m tempted to do all the time.

You may be sorely and dangerously tempted to use flowery, long-winded, extravagant sentences full of beautifully expressive and clever words to get your profound meaning across vividly, but please vigorously resist this unhelpful, often counter-productive and somewhat irritating urge.

Or, to put it another way: there’s nothing wrong with adjectives or adverbs, just as there’s nothing wrong with small children. You just don’t want seventeen of them in your house at once.

I’m getting better at this, and you can too. It’s all in the editing! Trim back, and trim back again.