No time for poetry but exactly what is

Dear Writer,

I have a tendency to overdecorate my sentences. I’m recovering from this addiction and must constantly remind myself that too much of a good thing can make for tedious reading.

Don’t try too hard with your prose. We don’t have to find a use for every word in the thesaurus. Resist the urge to squeeze in every adjective and adverb into your sentences. Just write exactly what is.

Use powerful imagery and descriptions strategically. Give your reader a break with some lighter reading. Then thrill them with the occasional zinger.

Happy Writing,

—Christa