Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) is rumored to have advised that, whenever you are tempted to use the word "very" in your writing, use the word "damned" instead. Your editor will take it out, and your prose will be better as a result!
(I have looked without success for the actual source of this fine aphorism — help, please, someone! - ^z)
2001-08-18
(correlates: At My Pace, Asimov on Writing, MyMemberSays, ...)