Qualifiers

I like to qualify everything.  My writing is littered with this stuff, in one form or another. 

Here's an extreme example:

He walked through the garden sort of like he didn't want to be there.

Okay, a bad sentence overall.  And certainly not an example from my novel.  But I use it for a reason.

Qualifiers show your insecurity as a writer.  They're about you taking the easy way, because you don't want to offend the reader.  They're about not making a decision about what this character is doing, leaving your options open.  And they come across wishy-washy.  They soften your writing, instead of make it definite and sharp.

If you're going to write something, be bold.  Make a decision and state it as simply and straightforwardly as you can. 

Consider this:

He walked through the garden like he didn't want to be there.  

You've taken a stand.  Your character is walking through the garden.  And he doesn't want to be there.  No question in your mind, or in the mind of your reader.  

This is more effective writing.  Don't be afraid to assert yourself.  It's your story, after all.  It can be any damn thing you want it to be.