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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026

Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.

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You're spending the night in an old Victorian home-turned-hotel. You're just about to go into your room, when you hear a harp playing from inside it.

Horror

Write about the dream that you've held onto for the longest.

Narrative

You just found a key in your pocket that wasn't there when you last checked.

Kids

While dozing by the fire in your winter cabin, you hear a knock at the door. Blizzard conditions have closed all surrounding roads, and the nearest neighbor is miles away.

Dramatic

When people die, they are transported to the event that ultimately caused their death. One day, you are hit by a car and sent 12 years into the past.

Science Fiction

The Earth does not rotate. One side always faces the sun and is in continual daylight. The other side is in eternal night. Cultures on both sides develop around this.

Fantasy

"Worst. Spring. Break. EVER."

High School

On Easter Monday, if a certain rabbit emerges from the ground and sees its shadow, winter returns for 4 weeks.

Holiday

You're outside in the park playing Pokemon Go when… wait… is that Pikachu… getting into a fight with your dog…?

Kids

You hear a commotion on the playground — and from the commotion, you can pick out a familiar voice. What happened?

Kids

Write about a character who is confused about what a White Elephant gift exchange is, and ends up going on a search for an actual white elephant.

Christmas

539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026

You're spending the night in an old Victorian home-turned-hotel. You're just about to go into your room, when you hear a harp playing from inside it.

Write about the dream that you've held onto for the longest.

You just found a key in your pocket that wasn't there when you last checked.

While dozing by the fire in your winter cabin, you hear a knock at the door. Blizzard conditions have closed all surrounding roads, and the nearest neighbor is miles away.

Re-tell Jane Eyre as a short story... but set it in the far future.

"Savor this sunset, folks. It might be the last one we ever see."

You witness a total solar eclipse.

Write about a time when you tried something unfamiliar.

Write a story that includes these three words: "clown," "purple," and "apple."

When people die, they are transported to the event that ultimately caused their death. One day, you are hit by a car and sent 12 years into the past.

The Earth does not rotate. One side always faces the sun and is in continual daylight. The other side is in eternal night. Cultures on both sides develop around this.

"Worst. Spring. Break. EVER."

On Easter Monday, if a certain rabbit emerges from the ground and sees its shadow, winter returns for 4 weeks.

You're outside in the park playing Pokemon Go when… wait… is that Pikachu… getting into a fight with your dog…?

You hear a commotion on the playground — and from the commotion, you can pick out a familiar voice. What happened?

Write about a character who is confused about what a White Elephant gift exchange is, and ends up going on a search for an actual white elephant.

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