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DIRECTORY
539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
"I have to go!" she/he said suddenly, jumping up from the table during dinner.
Overheard in Chemistry class: "Well, that wasn't supposed to happen."
Write a story that evokes the feeling of nails on a chalkboard!
Pick one of your Instagram photos. Write about the story behind it.
The objects in the Chemistry classroom come to life when students and teachers are not around.
Write a story about your dream vacation.
The last person on earth celebrates their own birthday.
A group of high school students go on an educational field trip to a graveyard to learn about the history of the area. But when a storm starts up and they get trapped, they have to figure out how to survive the night.
You're in an airport, watching people say goodbye before heading through security.
You're a bartender at a neighborhood pub. A regular comes in and says, "Do I have a story for you!"
You are in a bar when an elderly woman takes the stool next to you and says to the bartender, "Hey, Francine, make it a double. It happened again." You can't resist and ask her, "What happened again?"
Write a story about the small kindnesses that you see every day.
It's show and tell day! Write a story about what you most want to bring to show to your class.
Write a story about coming out. The ending is a happy one.
You are put in charge of a mission to Mars on NASA's most advanced space shuttle yet. Organize your team.
"Breaking news: a mirror Earth has just been confirmed..." was not what you expected to hear on the news when you turned on your radio that morning.
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