I think it's more about attracting the right readers. You know, the kind where writing (or reading) 5K words is no problem (when they have the time). I have an unpublished piece that's approaching 10K words with no end in sight. I add to it as a writing exercise over time.
I just published a post of 1200 words or so and had to stop myself there as it could have easily been 3 or 4 times as long.
When you're 'in the zone' the words just pour out of you.
My brain keeps wanting to change your first sentence from "she always was afraid..." to "she was always afraid to put her feet over the edge of the bed." It's an arifact from my writing classes.
My sister had a giant pink snake that she had wrapped around her dresser when I was a kid, and I swear that thing slithered down one night and slowly creeped up at the end of my bed. I'm sure it was just my over-active imagination running wild again. ;)
Maybe you should write a story about the giant pink snake. :P
Can you elaborate on this? It's a free write so I can't exactly change it unless I write a second draft, but it's good to know why you think it should maybe be changed.
Also, I have a ton of followers from before I was active, but I don't know how many are still active. I need to learn how this place works now and work on joining communities. Preferably ones that aren't overwhelming with requirements to curate posts and put signatures on every post and stuff like that.
It's not to be taken seriously, it's just something leftover from when our instructors would put us into writing groups and have us share our thoughts on each others work.
That snake scared the bejesus out of me as a boy. It was in the next room but right at the door with the eyes looking dead at me night after night. One day one of my uncles spirited it away for me, and I was glad to finally see the last of it! :)