Here's a question that I haven't been smart enough to ask until now.

When I'm assigned an article of 1000 words, I always turn in an article of almost exactly 1000.  The margin of error I'd allow myself would be 950 - 1050.  I do this because I aim to follow instructions.  But often this means making stark choices-- cutting out quotes that the editor might have enjoyed.  

I could turn in 1200, and let the editor decide which ideas are most important.  But that seems sloppy--as if I didn't want to make the tough choices, and instead foisted them onto someone else.

What would you do?