My old Creative Writing professor in college used to drill three words into our heads: “Concision, Simplicity, Specificity!” These were the very first words he uttered on the first day of class and would repeat numerous times over the semester. I managed to pass that class although I never learned to tighten my prose the way he wanted. Stubborn in my belief that my writing had to be spontaneous, I ignored most of his guidelines.

As an author for the News Right Now Organization, I now find myself facing similar strict guidelines as what my professor used to prescribe. I am not as stubborn as I used to be, having grown up a good number of years since college. I proofread all my articles now and, although a few typos slip by unnoticed once in a while, my error rate has gone down dramatically. There is, however, one guideline that took me a while to adjust to: the 100 word requirement.

When I began writing for this organization, the word requirement would frustrate me to no end. Imagine being a dozen words over, rewriting three sentences and then discovering that your article now lacks three words. Now, you may be thinking that it doesn’t sound as complicated as I make it out to be. I thought it would be a simple task as well before I started writing. I discovered, however, that clipping my news articles without compromising the quality of delivery and the amount of information can be frustrating.

It took me a few days to adjust to the 100 word rule and as my frustrations disappeared, I came to realize two things.

First, I realized the effect my professor’s teaching had on me. What I used to brush off as the ramblings of an eccentric professor turned out to have a profound effect on my writing. “Concision, Simplicity, Specificity!” These three words resonate in my head each time I start writing a news article. And while it may not yet be evident in my articles, I believe I have learned the importance of a tight prose. All I needed was the right outlet which the News Right Now Organization provides, and for this I am grateful.

Second, writing for this organization is about providing concise information for those who barely have the time or patience to go through unnecessary details. It's about reviving peoples' interest in the events that occur around them. And perhaps most important of all, it's about delivering what we promise to our readers.