And More

I handed him the story and waited.

I could see his eyes moving back and forth. Line by line.

I held my breath.

I was a journalism student. Verne Edwards was my professor.

Verne Edwards (1924-2019)

He was tough yet fair and I was hoping to please him with the news story I had written. And rewritten multiple times with the goal of getting his approval. And to avoid his dreaded "Red F".

Without making a move for his red pen, he looked up from the paper.

“You have everything you need, and more, in the first two paragraphs,” he said.

I slowly released my breath.

“I need you to cut the more.”

_________________________

Another lesson from Verne:

Get the Dog's Name