Most of the time, when we talk of overwriting, it means repetition of scenes, excessive descriptions, narration, and dialogue. In the Elements of Style, Strunk and White advise that concise writing is like a car, that it should never have unnecessary parts. Other than the components given above that we tend to overwrite, another indirect and overlooked form of overwriting is excessive adverbs and qualifiers. 

English Grammar 101 teaches us that an adverb enhances the meaning of a verb. If it does not, then do not use it. Books on the craft of writing will tell us that while adverbs are necessary components in composition, it must be used minimally. Nouns and verbs lend more directness to the written word. Too many adverbs make our writing cluttered, and it gives the impression that we are too lazy to think of a better verb.

Example: "She whispered quietly," or "Silently she tiptoed upstairs."

When someone whispers, it implies silence. The subject does not want anyone else to hear what she wants to say. No one whispers in a loud manner. Anyone who tiptoes upstairs does not intend to attract attention, so it is done in silence. Silence is intrinsic in whispering and tiptoeing. This is a reason why writing classes advise readers to use more nouns and verbs, not adjectives and adverbs. Most verbs do not require additional emphasis. If we are to say, "I addressed the crowd openly," we are putting unnecessary emphasis on the verb "address."

Other examples: "He was rather grumpy," or "She is perhaps a bit too materialistic," or "The heavy raindrops tapped on the roof tiles with a sort of typing sound."

Prose must always sound certain. Effective word choices must never overshadow directness or cause vagueness. "Rather," "a bit too," and "sort of" do not add value to meaning. It disrupts the rhythm and obstructs assertiveness. Whether we are writing fiction or nonfiction, our statements need a healthy degree of persuasiveness. This is a contributing factor to winning an audience to our side, to make them root for a character, to keep them turning pages. However, it does not mean that we should do away with adverbs and qualifiers. The thing to remember is to put the emphasis where it is needed. 

Writing as a craft teaches humility. The confidence it cultivates springs from experience accumulated in thousands of hours writing. Novice writers can have that uncertainty in trusting their instincts when it comes to word choices. Such uncertainty reflects in the way they use adverbs and qualifiers as a safety net for writing something that they cannot convey effectively. 

The writer chooses to communicate through the written word and therefore must exhaust all the means to deliver clear sentences. Discriminating readers can see through any verbiage. Regardless of our purpose in writing, we need to ensure that the reader finds our work engaging and not burdensome. It can be difficult for a writer to win back an audience that has lost faith in him.