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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
"See you later!" you called, not realizing it wasn't true.
Write a story about an elementary school student who has to overcome their fear of public speaking in order to win a speech contest.
Write a story about a group of five friends who set out at night for trick or treating… and when they return, they're only four.
"When i grow up, I want to..."
You catch a falling star and put it in your pocket.
Using only the setting of birthday parties, write a story about growing up.
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.
The money is good. But the lies have built up. This empire of yours has been built on a secret, a stolen technology, and the guilt has reached its peak. You have to come out with the truth
Write a story with these words: "teddy bear," "black," "blood."
You're home alone for the first time ever. Write a story about how the day unfolds.
The world's most important chess game is about to start.
Write about a wish that you once made.
Write a story about a haircut that doesn't go exactly the way that a character wanted it to.
You are a space kitty, traveling from planet to planet. You write a letter home and this is what it says.
You've just moved into a new house. You wake up one night to the sound of Siri responding to a query. You turned off your phone before you went to sleep.
Write a story about something that seems ordinary to your protagonist but would be perceived as extraordinary by someone else.
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