I've been told that multiple scenes can disqualify a story as a short story (even when it is less than 22 pages?).

Is there is a limit to the number of "scenes" a short story can have?

If so what is the limit?

Is this true all the time? Even if the story you are telling, demands this progression of locales?

Is there a limit to characters in a short story? Or just well developed characters in a story?

If so what is the limit? 1? 2? <5?

Can you have more than one POV in a story?

If so what is the limit?

When we are talking about Science Fiction/Fantasy sometimes the goal is implausible in the real world, even our conflict is implausible. Is this really a problem?

How specific do you need to be when you are writing? Extremely? And if you are specific, then what’s the point of telling a story? Writing a paragraph? Writing a sentence?

Thanks… I could really use some concrete answers…

Everything else you asked about, Ann, comes under the heading of suggested or preferred things for short stories--they change from one story to the next.

If you want to read a good (and short as well as inexpensive) book about short story writing, I'd strongly recommend WRITING IN GENERAL AND THE SHORT STORY IN PARTICULAR by Rust Hills.