I don't set out with a post size in mind, I just write. Usually the subject matter itself, will decide the post length naturally, and will wrap up itself to a natural conclusion.
Take this one for example, I only started out with the title in mind, but it feels as if it'll be a small to medium-sized piece, even before the first word is written down.
Now, if you've read my stuff over the years, you'll know that I can knock out what I consider to be long-form writing (1000+ words), over the course of hours.
It'll take longer if its an investigative piece, such as the time I wrote about The Station Nightclub Fire, which took about a week to research and write when I published it 5 years ago here on Hive.
That piece was spurred on after reading about a similar fire at a club in Chicago where many people were trampled to death trying to escape. When I write about The Station, it was more to illuminate the dangers of polyurethane foam, and how that and poor pre-fire planning, led to the needless deaths of 100 people.
During the research, I was alarmed by how much of the material could be found in a typical home, mine included. If there was a good thing about the work, its that it allowed me the opportunity to replace that material, and gave me a chance to warn others.
If it ends up saving just one life, the time spent on that post will have been worth it.
Develop your Voice as a Writer
This article is more of what I'd call an illustrative post, thus not needing the time spent to research and learn about a subject. I honestly believe that when you write on Hive, you should do so with an open mind, and let the work take you wherever wherever it goes.
I don't think you should limit yourself to any sort of post size, beyond where your area of interest takes you. I prefer to delve into a broad range of topics, and keeping my 'writers field of view' as open as possible.
We have some bloggers here on Hive that can tackle a long-form piece, and have it read rather quickly. They take their readers on a journey , leaving them feeling satisfied, and/or informed at the end.
I'd like to think that I've developed a unique "voice" in my writing over the years, and encourage you to develop yours as well. Endeavor to break the shackles than an imposed post size limit has on your creativity. Just write, and the piece itself will tell you when its done.
Most of my writings are usually in the same way. I simply have a topic in mind and other subtopics that need to be included and then I write. I might make adjustments along the way, but I never know from the beginning whether it'll be a long or short one.
Isn't it odd how that always seems to work out? There have been times when my writing was triggered by a line that popped into my head or even a photo which drew up a feeling from long ago. I remember when I was writing that piece on the fire, how surprised I was to find so much of that flammable material right here at home. It was in the furniture, the bedding, everywhere. I had no idea I was sleeping what amounted to gasoline each and every night.