Does the best length for a short story depend on the genre?

There's no one - size - fits - all answer, but generally, a short story can range from about 1,500 to 30,000 words. However, many consider the 'sweet spot' to be around 5,000 words. This length allows for enough development of plot, characters, and theme without becoming overly long and losing the essence of a short story, which is its conciseness.

Writing novels did have a certain degree of talent, but talent was not the only deciding factor. Writing a novel required learning, practice, and continuous attempts to improve one's ability through continuous writing practice. There were many successful novels, but there were also many that could become excellent novels. Writing a novel required constant learning, thinking, and exploration. At the same time, one needed to maintain enthusiasm and patience in order to go further and further on the road of writing.

Yes, the game progress in GTA 4 is closely related to the main story. When you complete main story missions, you unlock new areas, items, and sometimes new gameplay mechanics. So, the main story is a big part of how the game measures your progress.

Short stories are usually much shorter than books. A short story might be a few thousand words, while a book can be tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of words.

I think a short story of 7,000 to 8,000 words often works well. It gives enough space for character development and a compelling storyline without overwhelming the adaptation process.

Writing novels required talent, but it also depended on hard work and practice. Talent refers to an individual's innate literary talent and creativity. Some people may be born with the gift of writing. They can quickly understand and express emotions and create unforgettable stories and characters. However, talent was only a part of success in writing. Writing a novel required continuous practice and exploration to continuously improve one's writing skills and creativity. Writing was a process that required constant trial and error. Only by constant practice and reflection could one write better works. In addition, writing a novel also required good reading and creative thinking skills, as well as an overall grasp of the story and characters. Therefore, although talent was important, hard work and practice were equally important. Only by constantly learning and growing could one become an excellent novelist.

Sometimes it does. If the platform's rules or the context suggest a connection, then it might. But not always.

It's not strictly tied to white-collar characters. A happy ending could result from many elements like plot twists, character growth, or resolution of conflicts, regardless of the characters' occupations.

A short story is short, often under 10,000 words, while a novel is much longer, usually over 40,000 words.

If a short story is on the longer side, like 5,000 - 7,500 words, it has more room to develop complex characters and detailed plots. This can create a deeper and more immersive impact. The reader has more time to get invested in the story world. For instance, some short stories with a mystery or a complex relationship at their core can benefit from a longer length to fully unfold the story.