Limit or Guide?

[Racheal Chie]

Hello guys, so I've always wondered, as a writer does word count limit you or guide you?
I mean when we write do we necessarily know where our piece is going to end? Not knowing kinda seems fine if you are just writing for pleasure, I mean as you write you don't even know yourself until the muse in your head reveals it to you, but what if you're forced to cut out parts of your story to fit a journal guidelines? Does it then in this sense limit or guide you. Obviously the story goes through such a major over haul and revamp to suit specific journal guidelines or requirments, but does that take-away from the story in any way?

[Black Jewel]

I typically don't pay that much attention to word count unless I'm participating in NaNoWriMo, honestly. But that's just me.