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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
Write a story about a search for a Santa suit.
You wish upon what looks like a star but is actually a satellite. Your wish has been recorded, catalogued, and an agent is now assigned the task of granting your wish.
She was dying. She was your mother. And you remember the day your engineers first turned her on...
Overheard in Chemistry class: "Well, that wasn't supposed to happen."
Write about your goals at ages 5, 10, 15, and 20.
Write a story about a meet-cute between competing Christmas tree shops in town.
You went to sleep in a bed, but you woke up on the cold dark floor the forest.
Set your story at a disastrous gift exchange.
A young child discovers a passion for baking. Write about the crazy kitchen adventures that they embark upon with their allergic-to-gluten family, one that culminates in a national baking competition.
You witness a total solar eclipse.
An elderly married couple toast each other over a pint on St. Patrick's Day.
It's a Thursday evening, and Greg Richerson is flashing his sports cars again.
A former party animal lives in a retirement home. They've decided it's time for one last bash.
The voice in your head is your only friend. The AI implant is your only ally. And she's just started to become sentient...
Write a story about a world in which Mondays don't exist.
Write a story that's entirely set in the cafeteria.
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