Too many modifiers spoils the broth
I have always considered myself a good writer (who hasn’t?), so when I launched into my first novel, From Woodstock To Eternity, I had to stretch myself to write colorful, moving, and dramatic scenes. I painted beautiful and enticing settings as the story progressed. The action moved along quickly and decisively. Finally, I created a masterpiece of rich, colorful settings that stirred the senses, brought you into the story, and made you wish 
you were there.
If you find nothing wrong with the first paragraph, you are like many readers who are unaware of the nuances of descriptive writing. While my followers loved the story and said they could not put it down, I soon began receiving some reviews from professional editors who found fault with some of my techniques. I share with you the following:
Do not use multiple adjectives or adverbs
- If you have three adjectives, cut out at least one. In the paragraph above, with “colorful, moving and dramatic scenes,” cut out “moving” for “colorful and dramatic scenes.” This actually gets to the point quicker and has more impact.
- If you have two adjectives, consider cutting out one. With “beautiful and enticing settings,” cut out “enticing” for “beautiful settings.” This has the same effect.
- For adverbs, “quickly and decisively,” just write “decisively.”
- Agents and editors do not like the “ly” word.
The same rule applies to phrases
- Instead of “Finally, I created a masterpiece of rich, colorful settings that stirred the senses, brought you into the story, and made you wish you were there.” just write “Finally, I created a masterpiece that made you wish you were there.”
You get two benefits from these corrections.
- Your story begins to snap. Shorter sentences yield more movement and action.
- Cutting is hard, but you have to do it. Agents want manuscripts within a certain word count. These techniques used throughout the book cut the word count considerably
Now read the edited version
- I have always considered myself a good writer (who hasn’t?), so when I launched into my first novel, From Woodstock To Eternity, I had to stretch myself to write colorful and dramatic scenes. I painted beautiful settings as the story progressed, and the action moved along decisively. Finally, I created a masterpiece that made you wish you were there.
I think that sounds better, but I never would have known it if I had not taken the knife to my story.
ones helped. When church groups come back 
from a foreign culture, the look of joy and wonderment on their faces does not come from the blessings they bestowed on the natives. It comes from the blessings the natives bestowed upon them.
good, solid Christians. Therefore, it is paramount to raise good solid Christian children who will become the future fighters against this wave of evil. Mission trips can be a very effective tool for this.
as a family for Jesus to help with problems, and then celebrate with them when He does.
Youth can get out of their bubble and see how other cultures live. This usually builds a great sense of gratitude for what they have at home.
The next two weren’t any better. One moving two states away for a great job, another rolling down the driveway with a brand new husband.
“Well,” she would say, ” that’s what happens when you devote 2 years of your life in Taiwan, teaching English and ministering Jesus to children .”
God! There’s only one problem. I don’t want her to go. What a miserable wretch I am.
