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DIRECTORY
539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
Write a book with anthromorpohized characters.
Where do you see the future of technology heading? Write an essay explaining why.
You pass by a person sitting with their face to the sun, the most content smile you've ever seen on their face.
Someone steps out of your television set… and you were watching a horror movie.
A character starts remembering things that never happened.
Write a story about a character who is under intense pressure to succeed at something.
You are going home for Christmas for the first time in twenty-five years.
A bittersweet farewell: bitter for one person, sweet for the other.
A woman drops her wallet on the street, and it falls open. You pick it up and are about to return it to her when you notice a strange picture inside.
Write about the most epic Easter egg hunt ever.
Write a story about a character who sees the ocean for the first time.
Write a story about the small kindnesses that you see every day.
A trusting person turns into a skeptic.
Write a story about the local PETA branch starting a campaign supporting black cats on Halloween day.
Write a story about a character who can only tell the truth.
Write a descriptive story about a household using only one of the five senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch, or taste.
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