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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
A habitually fearful person turns brave.
It is discovered that Earth actually IS flat.
Two elderly people in a retirement home are a secret pair of detectives that have solved some of the biggest crimes and mysteries through anonymous tips.
You find a blank book. Whatever you write in it becomes true.
A group of seniors in university have been planning a graduation prank all year. Today's finally the day.
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?
You briefly go out in the snow and come back inside. When you go out again, your footprints from earlier lead in a different direction.
Write a story where your character is acting differently on the outside than they feel on the inside.
You are a professional hoax-buster.
Write a children's book that's set entirely in space.
"Have a good night," you say, and breath a huge sigh of relief the moment you walk away.
Write about a time that you felt like an outsider.
A student has to fight against societal expectations in order to fulfill a lifelong dream.
Write a story with an open ending.
This was the moment you'd been waiting for. Gleefully, you raised your camera to take a picture and then... the battery died.
What are you talking about, dude? I'm right here? Can't you see me?
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