My assignment: An article on the Development of Democracy covering ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and the years surrounding the Revolutionary War in the U.S.
Length: 1400 words
First draft delivery date: Four weeks
I commandeer my usual table at the Fifth Street Bagel Shop and set to work. I start with the ancient Greeks to whom I’ve alloted 600 words. Those crafty Greeks slip in 200 extra words when I’m not looking. I beat them back, sentence by sentence. They retaliate, hurling historical events at me that absolutely need to be included. I am no match for them. I withstand the assault, do a word count, and move on to the Romans…
…who have only been allotted 200 words. The Romans object to this injustice. More words! they cry. More words! I remind them that I am the writer, that I am in charge, that I will give them whatever number of words I choose. This throws them into a rage and they begin to bellow: We are the mighty Roman Empire! We will conquer you!. The noise is deafening. I know the people sipping coffee all around me are only pretending not to hear. I feel suddenly small, unable to rise to this task of describing over two millennia of democratic development in a mere 1400 words. From somewhere, I find courage, slice through the extra verbiage the Romans have demanded, and move on the the colonials.
I am hoping they will be easier to deal with, these countrymen of mine. Surely they will cooperate and not demand more than 600 words. Surely they will understand the constraints I am under. They do not. They are worse than the Greeks, worse than the Romans. They throw a torrent of words at me and insist they not will put up with a paltry 600. They did not give in to the British and they will not give in to me. I can feel myself growing battle-weary but I find it in me to mount a final assault. I push back the colonials, one word at a time. And I am finished.
This is what I have learned from the writing of this article: Democracy was hard won. I know this for sure as I gather up my research materials and wonder if I have enough strength to make it out to my car.