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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
From a dog's perspective, humans seem to be either immortal or at least live extremely long lives. Write from the perspective of a dog contemplating this.
The Tooth Fairy finds something unexpected sitting beside the expected tooth under a child's pillow.
Write a story about a pair of siblings who open up a lemonade stand during summer vacation, and the rivalry that flares up when their neighbors decide to start a Kool-Aid stand at the same time.
Write about a character who is confused about what a White Elephant gift exchange is, and ends up going on a search for an actual white elephant.
"By the time I wake up in the morning, I want them dead."
Someone told you a secret that you shouldn't know about a friend. What do you do with this information? Write a story about it.
"I have to go!" she/he said suddenly, jumping up from the table during dinner.
Petals fall to the ground as someone picks apart a flower and says, "they love me, they love me not."
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.
Write a story that draws from a moment in your life where you wish you'd made a different choice. Have your protagonist make that choice, and then see what happens.
Write a story about a character who must confront their past.
As a joke, you use your cell phone to dial your own number. Someone picks up.
Write a story about a festive neighborhood battle between one family who loves Halloween and another family who loves Christmas.
A person dictates who he or she will date based on quantitative measures, such as horoscopes, how they perform on a test, etc.
While on a leisurely stroll through the forest, you find strange footprints. Do you follow them?
Write a story about a meet-cute between competing Christmas tree shops in town.
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