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47 Best Dramatic Short Story Ideas

Showing 47 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.

As the sun set, the desert wasteland glowed an eerie red.

Write about the way the sunset looks from the perspective of two characters. One is sad, the other is happy.

"Today is the last day," you decide, staring up at the 67-story building that has owned your life for the last 10 years.

You wake up from a coma that no one expected you to recover from.

You're on a train when someone sits across from you and begins to cry.

"The grass is always greener on the other side." You were prepared to find out.

"Savor this sunset, folks. It might be the last one we ever see."

A bittersweet farewell: bitter for one person, sweet for the other.

You enter a room where someone is having a phone call. They don't see you and you overhear a big secret that you clearly weren't meant to.

"I love you," you said. Before you could hear a response, your phone died.

You live in a future where music in any form is considered repugnant. You find an old music box.

"See you later!" you called, not realizing it wasn't true.

You're in an airport, watching people say goodbye before heading through security.

Everyday, you sit at your window to watch a neighbor play a musical instrument. You can't hear the music, but you're transfixed by the musician's expression.

You are an astronaut spending your last few hours on Earth before a journey into space.

You're on a boat that should have reached undiscovered land days ago. Your compass tells you you're on the right path but there is no land in sight.

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