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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
"I have to go!" she/he said suddenly, jumping up from the table during dinner.
You were mowing your lawn when someone walked by your yard and burst into tears.
It's Valentine's Day and when you open your locker, a note falls out. What does it read?
An anxious and unsure person becomes extremely decisive.
Write a story about a world in which Mondays don't exist.
Write about a time that you broke the rules.
Write about a time that you felt like an outsider.
A reindeer is loose! What can you, a mere elf on the lowest rung of Santa's helpers, do?
Overheard in Chemistry class: "Well, that wasn't supposed to happen."
An elderly married couple toast each other over a pint on St. Patrick's Day.
You hear music emanating from aisle 3 of your local grocery store. No one else hears it.
You start hearing sounds, but when you ask your friend about it, they look at you with a confused expression.
It's the first day of summer camp, and one of this year's new campers is the child of a major celebrity. Write a story about the first week from the head camp counselor's perspective.
Because of a freak science experiment, you just had a body swap — with the principal of your high school! What do you do with your newfound role?
Write a story about Christmas from the perspective of someone who hates Christmas.
It's the year 2099, and everyone has a smartwatch that can tell them what age they die.
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