User blog comment:Blacknumber1/Suggestions/Ideas for the Freestyle Challenge Finals. Open to your ideas!/@comment-4893169-20150214002017/@comment-25941663-20150214100010

I am not sure about this; most of the stories we saw didn't get that close to the 2000 mark. I think though we should be a bit more lenient. If you write 2100 words and I am your judge, I will certainly not disqualify you.

In short, I don't think raising the word-bar is necessary, but the judges should be a bit more lenient length-wise.