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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
Two super competitive colleagues meet at the office's monthly Bingo night.
It was the most epic senior prank your high school had ever seen.
Write a dark story in which everything that someone Tweets comes true.
Write an unrequited loved story using situational irony.
You're the world's best photographer. Your secret? You can freeze time.
You are in charge of organizing a lunch for four famous historical figures. Who do you invite? Why?
A plane has just crashed onto a deserted island. It's carrying 12 convicted criminals.
Write a story that inverts the trope of the Chosen One.
You're home alone for the first time ever. Write a story about how the day unfolds.
Santa Claus is backed up with orders recently, and you're in charge of writing the official letter of apology to all of the children around the world informing them that their presents may arrive a week late this year.
You come across a cheaply printed book of magic tricks. You try one out and discover the book is truly magic, and teaches you how to break fundamental laws of physics.
A trusting person turns into a skeptic.
Someone just knocked on the door late at night, but you weren't expecting anyone. When you open the door... no one's there.
In a quiet little coffee shop in a quiet little town, famous people from history stop by every so often for a drink.
You wake up the day after an epic party. You're not where you expected to be.
A character becomes addicted to the slots in Las Vegas.
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