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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
A child finds out by accident that Santa Claus… isn't real! Write about the fallout that occurs afterward.
I thought he seemed a perfectly normal human being, until he started speaking.
Write a story about the all-out war among the PTA moms to snatch up the last Spider-Man costume in the costume shop.
It's Christmas, and you somehow need to manuever your parents into buying you the gift that you want.
You hear a scream and it's coming from inside your own home.
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.
Two people share an oddly bittersweet moment as they stop to watch a beautiful sunset... at noon.
Write a story about the local PETA branch starting a campaign supporting black cats on Halloween day.
Write a story about trust. Include a pair of siblings in it.
Write a story about someone trying to hide a pet from their parents.
Write a story that evokes the feeling of nails on a chalkboard!
A team of scientists have successfully teleported an apple. It reappears with a bite taken out of it.
You were sitting on a park bench, enjoying the sun, when a stranger sat next to you and started typing on an old fashioned typewriter.
Every week, you post an ad in the newspaper asking for a time traveller to contact you. One day you get a response, dated year 2200.
You just found a key in your pocket that wasn't there when you last checked.
Write a book with anthromorpohized characters.
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