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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
It's your last time trick-or-treating. What's your costume? How do you spend the evening?
A character becomes addicted to the slots in Las Vegas.
You wake up one day and find that you can suddenly talk to animals.
A character must confront their fear of commitment if they want to save their failing relationship.
Write a children's book that's set entirely in space.
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.
You canÍt believe what you just read on the scroll. You have to tell someone.
You have to let go of something you treasure.
You are in charge of organizing a lunch for four famous historical figures. Who do you invite? Why?
Write a story about a family's Christmas tradition that has to change this year, for one reason or another.
You're at your computer feeling heavy writer's block. Suddenly words start appearing on the screen.
The objects in the Chemistry classroom come to life when students and teachers are not around.
An office worker's favorite coffee mug has gone missing, and the obsessive search for the mug throughout the workplace turns into a dire and ridiculous odyssey.
Write a story that ends by coming full circle.
Santa Claus had one too many pork chops during the pre-Christmas feast, and now he's stuck in the chimney — and there are footsteps approaching!
Write a story with these words: "teddy bear," "black," "blood."
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