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DIRECTORY
539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
The Earth does not rotate. One side always faces the sun and is in continual daylight. The other side is in eternal night. Cultures on both sides develop around this.
You stumble across an abandoned house in the woods.
A logical person starts acting irrationally.
Write a children's book about a young child who gets transported into a magical world inside of a snow globe.
Write about a power hungry wizard summoning an eldritch creature from a blood-stained spellbook.
When people die, they are transported to the event that ultimately caused their death. One day, you are hit by a car and sent 12 years into the past.
The world's most important chess game is about to start.
You pass by a person sitting with their face to the sun, the most content smile you've ever seen on their face.
You wake up to the sound of a voice. Nervous, you look around the room until your eyes land on your pet. You swear you just heard it sleep-talking.
You're one of Santa Claus's elves, and wishes on childrens' wishlists from around the world this Christmas have gone through the roof. Literally. Now you need to somehow find a repairman to fix Santa's roof before Santa finds out.
A long-standing feud erupts during a funeral or wedding.
Turn one of your grandparent's old stories into fiction.
You're stranded on a treasure island.
Only one swordsman emerges alive from a bloody battle. And without a single wound. How does he explain his survival?
"The grass is always greener on the other side." You were prepared to find out.
Write a story that takes place where poets and writers are the biggest celebrities.
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