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47 Best Dramatic Short Story Ideas

Showing 47 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.

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There's someone standing on the corner of the street you live on. It's the fifth time they've been there this week.

While dozing by the fire in your winter cabin, you hear a knock at the door. Blizzard conditions have closed all surrounding roads, and the nearest neighbor is miles away.

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

You discover a secret family member you never knew existed.

You've done the unthinkable in the 21st century: found undiscovered land.

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

You hear music emanating from aisle 3 of your local grocery store. No one else hears it.

There's an urban legend about a taxi cab that doesn't take you where you want to go, but where you need to go. One night, you step into this cab.

"Have a good night," you say, and breath a huge sigh of relief the moment you walk away.

As you ride your motorcycle off into the sunset, you see something unexpected on the horizon.

Something unusual is found in a winter coat pocket.

You open a fortune cookie at a Chinese restaurant. Inside is a handwritten note.

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

You're on an island in the middle of the ocean. One day you find a bottle washed up on the shore with a piece of paper in it.

You find your grandparent's old chessboard in the attic. Absentmindedly, you move a piece. The next day, an opposing piece has been moved.

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