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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
Write about a place the sky meets the sea.
Set your story at the playground!
It's the year 2099, and everyone has a smartwatch that can tell them what age they die.
"What? You're Father who? I don't know no Father Christmas, now get off of my lawn!"
Write about a wish that you once made.
Write a story about an elementary school student who has to overcome their fear of public speaking in order to win a speech contest.
Re-write Romeo and Juliet as a short story... but make it horror.
Set your story at a noisy school assembly, where two characters are trying to hold an important and private conversation.
A plane has just crashed onto a deserted island. It's carrying 12 convicted criminals.
You were put in charge of getting your great-grandmother a gift this year by your family — but she's old enough that she's already seen, heard, and experienced everything under the sun. What do you get her?
Write about a time that you found out something surprising about yourself.
The theme for this year's prom is "Great Gatsby," and you're the head of the prom committee that's in charge of putting it together.
Write a descriptive story about a household using only one of the five senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch, or taste.
Write about a family with secrets that get stuck in a corn maze overnight. One by one, all of the secrets come out in the course of the night.
Write about a time that you broke the rules.
A plane takes off with 81 passengers. It lands with 82.
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