Don’t Overdo It

Have you ever met someone who overdoes things when with other people? When introduced to someone, they don’t only shake your hand and say “It’s nice to meet you.”  Instead, they grab your hand, pump it, and gush their greeting too long and too loud. Overkill!

Don’t practice overkill when you write. If one adjective is helpful, why not use two or even three?  If a declaration of love is made in a couple of sentences, why not stretch into two or three paragraphs? When writing description, why go on for multiple paragraphs or even pages? It’s too much. The story itself can get lost. 

A dress that has all kinds of extras added such as myriad ruffles, a sewed on chain necklace, and a belt with a big buckle is overdone.  A dress with simple lines is more elegant because of its simplicity. Writing is much the same. Stay with the basics, and you’ll have a better story or essay than if you decorated it with too many gew-gaws. 

I am not saying to ditch all adjectives or to never add a bit of fluff. Just don’t develop the habit. 

Margaret O’Brien was a child star when I was growing up. Even though I, too, was a child, I took note of the fact that she over-acted. She could have been so much better if she’d toned it down. Surprises me that a Director didn’t help her overcome that. Maybe it was the reason she didn’t do much acting as an adult. 

Another way ti look at overdoing it when you write is to consider a beef tenderloin with a Bernaise sauce. The rich sauce enhances the meat, but if you drown the meat with the sauce, you lose the main thing—that fine piece of tenderloin with its own superb flavor. 

When you proofread and edit, check for areas where you might have practiced a little overkill. You still have time to fix it.