User blog comment:Mmpratt99 deviantart/A Question About a Sequel's Length/@comment-25052433-20160223142501

Yeah, don't cut out key elements of your story just over concerns of length. If the story carries its own merit, people will be willing to read the entire thing, even if they have to do it in sections. Trying to edit out stuff just to get it down to a certain word count will only serve to damage your over all concept, at least in my opinion.