When I write a story, I often wonder how long it needs to be. In other words, how many words does it need to be?
When writing a novel, I know it has to be at least 40,000 words minimum. For a short story, it can be 1,000 words, 2,000 words, etc. The word limit for a story is just the fencing for the concept and narrative. But that fence can expand depending on how much yardage is needed to complete the garden, so to speak.
I often go over the limit of what I set for myself. If I am aiming for a 40,000 word novel, the story will often exceed it. The same holds true for short stories. For the story itself is organic and evolving.
Fallton Havenstonne 