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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
Two people are playing chess. One person can read minds, the other person can see the future.
For years, four characters have met for a monthly card game. Write a story in which one character realizes that another is cheating.
Write a story about a character who sees the ocean for the first time.
Write a story in which a Christmas song plays an important role in the plot.
A person wakes up in bed, drenched in salty ocean water.
You pass by a person sitting with their face to the sun, the most content smile you've ever seen on their face.
After searching for your lost cat for months, it saunters into your house one day. It looks rather plump.
A legendary dragon is on its way to capture a princess. Plot twist: the princess kidnaps it, and temporarily locks it away in her tower to teach it a lesson.
Write about a time that you taught something to somebody.
By the time this party is finished, three people's lives will be changed forever.
A child finds out by accident that Santa Claus… isn't real! Write about the fallout that occurs afterward.
Each year, the Springers host the town's most epic Halloween costume party. You're determined to win the grand prize this year, except that this year the theme is "Willy Wonka."
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.
All of your birthday presents this year look normal, except for one sitting in the corner that has a strange yellow glow emitting from it...
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?
You've done the unthinkable in the 21st century: found undiscovered land.
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