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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 trust. Include a pair of siblings in it.
A ghoul, a ghost, and a mummy walk into a bar. What happens next?
"I love you," you said. Before you could hear a response, your phone died.
As the floor trembles and the walls shake, you know there is only one way to survive.
A character must confront their fear of commitment if they want to save their failing relationship.
Write a story that draws from a moment in your life where you wish you'd made a different choice. Have your protagonist make that choice, and then see what happens.
You are an expert spy for the British government, trained to perfection. Your only weakness is that your background music alerts enemies to your presence.
Using only the setting of birthday parties, write a story about growing up.
Write a story in the form of letters. Plot twist: it's revealed that the character who wrote them died from unnatural causes years ago.
You're kneeling in the dirt, working on your garden when your attention is drawn up by a person saying, "Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt, but..."
You find a note in your locker that is not intended for you, but the person with the next locker over. What does the note say? What do you do with it?
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.
Write about a time you were given responsibility.
You're a janitor at a large school. People wouldn't believe the things you've heard.
Overheard in P.E.: "It's not that I wanted to hit you in the head with the ball, it's that I thought you were a spider."
Your academic rival at school has joined the Art Club, so now you must also join the Art Club. Problem is, you're pretty sure that you're colorblind.
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