Writing Tips Needed - Avoiding Gerunds?

Some people advise against the use of gerunds. I have tried to eliminate gerunds from my writing, and as a result, I have had to use more conditional sentences than before. This has introduced mannerism into my writing, but at the same time it has forced me to use verbs more often, which I think is a good thing.

My question is that should a person completely eliminate gerunds from his writing?

Short answer: no.

The goal as a writer is to keep your writing fresh, lively and non-repetitive. What you're writing and the style in which you're writing it defines what you should and shouldn't do (along with audience and context).

An example sentence that uses a gerund is:

"Being asked to play an encore was a compliment Sammy enjoyed."

You'd be most likely to see something like this in a story-telling feature piece or a fiction book.

and other people recommend to avoid passive voice and compound sentences. The language is so rich and multi-faceted, and writers should take advantage of it.

Marketjunction, I second you.