More apps built by Reedsy

reedsymarketplace

Assemble a team of professionals

reedsystudio

The writing app for authors

reedsylearning

Writing courses, events and memberships

reedsydiscovery

Get your book reviewed

reedsyprompts

Weekly writing prompts and contests

REEDSY PROMPTS

Write your book in Reedsy Studio. Try the beloved writing app for free today.

Win up to $250 in our weekly writing contest

Submit your short story on Reedsy Prompts.

Add filters

539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026

Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.

← Prev

Page 3

You discover a secret family member you never knew existed.

Dramatic

Mars is the new wild west, complete with gunslingers.

Fiction

A young boy working up the courage to ask his long-time crush to dance with him at the school dance.

Love

You're beginning to believe the person writing the daily crossword puzzle in your newspaper is trying to send you an encoded message.

Mystery / Thriller

Write about a time that you encountered an obstacle, and how you overcame it.

Narrative

It's the beginning of a new term at your university. As usual, you scramble to your first class and get there just in time. No one is there but you and the professor.

Dramatic

Stuff has been mysteriously disappearing from your home for weeks, but you live alone.

Dark

Write a story about the all-out war among the PTA moms to snatch up the last Spider-Man costume in the costume shop.

Halloween

You pass by a person sitting with their face to the sun, the most content smile you've ever seen on their face.

Fiction

Your mother sits you and your brother down, and says, "Kids, I'm gonna tell you an incredible story the story of how I met your father."

Dramatic

Set your story at a noisy school assembly, where two characters are trying to hold an important and private conversation.

Kids

Write a story about a haircut that doesn't go exactly the way that a character wanted it to.

High School

"He's been dead for ten years," said the little old lady, looking at you with concern.

Horror

539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026

You discover a secret family member you never knew existed.

Mars is the new wild west, complete with gunslingers.

A young boy working up the courage to ask his long-time crush to dance with him at the school dance.

Write about a time that you taught something to somebody.

Write a short story inspired by your favorite song.

You discover a strange map that's been stuffed into your locker.

You're beginning to believe the person writing the daily crossword puzzle in your newspaper is trying to send you an encoded message.

Write about a time that you encountered an obstacle, and how you overcame it.

It's the beginning of a new term at your university. As usual, you scramble to your first class and get there just in time. No one is there but you and the professor.

Stuff has been mysteriously disappearing from your home for weeks, but you live alone.

Write a story about the all-out war among the PTA moms to snatch up the last Spider-Man costume in the costume shop.

You pass by a person sitting with their face to the sun, the most content smile you've ever seen on their face.

Your mother sits you and your brother down, and says, "Kids, I'm gonna tell you an incredible story  the story of how I met your father."

Set your story at a noisy school assembly, where two characters are trying to hold an important and private conversation.

Write a story about a haircut that doesn't go exactly the way that a character wanted it to.

"He's been dead for ten years," said the little old lady, looking at you with concern.

Save your shortlist

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Your mother sits you and your brother down, and says, "Kids, I'm gonna tell you an incredible story the story of how I met your father."