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39 Best Fiction Short Story Ideas

Showing 39 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.

A logical person starts acting irrationally.

Write about the origin of the saying "April showers bring May flowers."

Write a story where your character is acting differently on the outside than they feel on the inside.

You're at your computer feeling heavy writer's block. Suddenly words start appearing on the screen.

You wake up the day after an epic party. You're not where you expected to be.

You're moments late to everything. You watch busses pull away as you run behind them, you miss the first 5 minutes of every movie, and you have never caught a green light. One day, you arrive on time.

A forgotten object is found in an attic during spring cleaning.

The last person on earth celebrates their own birthday.

A tree falls in the woods. You're around to hear it.

A person wakes up in bed, drenched in salty ocean water.

A pessimist becomes an optimist.

Write a story where your character is at odds with a family tradition.

You got on the wrong bus and ended up in a remote town where things seemed a little odd.

A habitually fearful person turns brave.

For a week or so you've noticed a stray animal hanging around your home. One day you let it in.

You were reading a book quietly at a cafe when someone passed you a note.

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