Be stingy with adjectives

Wishing they were fiction writers themselves, many essayists are tempted to colour their prose with descriptive words and phrases in the belief that the more descriptive the language, the more inviting will be the writing. Adjectives—words that describe or modify nouns and pronouns—should be used sparingly. Too many adjectives will clog your sentences, making them too busy, too colourful, and thus somewhat overdone. Don't use every crayon in the box; a few choice colours will do.

American humourist Mark Twain, of Huckleberry Finn fame, had a rule about adjectives: "As to the Adjective: when in doubt, strike it out." Do thou likewise.