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DIRECTORY
539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
Write a love poem inspired by a recently received text message.
Someone has been stealing from other kids' pools of candy on Halloween. This means war.
Write a story that ends with a shocking plot twist.
Write a short story in the form of a text message exchange between two best friends during history class.
A young boy working up the courage to ask his long-time crush to dance with him at the school dance.
Write a story about two characters competing to take the worst ever picture-day portrait.
Write a story that inverts the trope of the Chosen One.
Someone you believed to be dead "comes back."
An entrepreneur is suffering self-doubt from a string of failures, and this is their last chance.
A group of seniors in university have been planning a graduation prank all year. Today's finally the day.
Something unusual is found in a winter coat pocket.
Write a story about a world in which spirit animals exist. What kind of animal is your spirit animal? Why?
Two elderly people in a retirement home are a secret pair of detectives that have solved some of the biggest crimes and mysteries through anonymous tips.
A 50-year-old has started to do the daily Sudoku, scared that she is starting to lose her memory.
Set your story at a busy airport during Christmas week.
"See you later!" you called, not realizing it wasn't true.
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