In reading essays, I often find stuff like this:
My argumentative side will state that Laura Esquivel succeeded in creating a modern day folk tale.

And this:

When Mikage seemed to have wounded her hand, penetrating the surface of her skin, causing blood to emerge, covering her palms with blood.

The problem with these sentences* is that you could convey exactly the same information like this:

Laura Esquivel created a modern day folk tale.

Or:

Mikage cut and bloodied her hand.

Now, I’m not TOTALLY out to lunch. I do realize that sometimes you’re trying to pad your word count by adding unnecessary words. But you’d really be better off using concise, clear phrases. All the extra words in those sentences (eight words in one and seventeen in the other!) don’t add anything to your writing. Look critically at your own writing, and if there’s an easier, shorter way to say something, opt for that. As Shakespeare wrote, “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

*There is actually one other problem with the second sentence — it’s a fragment!