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DIRECTORY
539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
You are a Nobel Prize Winner, on your way to the awards ceremony. Suddenly, you are transported back in time.
Two colleagues with poor communication skills have to collaborate for the first time on a project.
Write a story about living a lie. You get to choose the lie.
Describe your definition of a good life.
Set your story at a graveyard overnight.
For years, four characters have met for a monthly card game. Write a story in which one character realizes that another is cheating.
"Hi. It's me."
You are a server at a restaurant, having the busiest shift of your life.
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 have to let go of something you treasure.
Re-write Romeo and Juliet as a short story... but make it horror.
Write about the dream that you've held onto for the longest.
You're sitting in a coffee shop watching someone type on their computer. They type the words, "It begins raining outside", and it instantly starts raining.
Write a story about a character whose reflection no longer appears in the mirror. (It's up to you whether or not they're also a vampire.)
August 30, 1946: The date of the one and only time travel convention. You attend every year.
Your mom has just sat you down and told you that you'll have a baby sister.
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