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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 the local scarecrow coming to life and going on a revenge mission against all of those people who had dressed it badly in previous years.
Write about a time when you tried something unfamiliar.
You were reading a book quietly at a cafe when someone passed you a note.
It's your first spring… and you have allergies!
Write a story that begin and ends around an awkward Christmas dinner table.
"See you later!" you called, not realizing it wasn't true.
One person's trash is another's treasure.
You were waiting at a crosswalk when someone you didn't recognize started waving from across the street.
Write about a time that you broke the rules.
Pick a color and write a story based on the feelings that that color evokes for you.
A friendly pranking rivalry between two colleagues in an office starts to get serious.
Think about a moment in your life that elicited very strong emotions. Write about a character going through a different experience that leads to the same emotions.
A group of kids get an invite to a costume party in the neighborhood… but when they arrive, the monsters aren't costumes. They're real.
Someone you believed to be dead "comes back."
Write a story about a high-stakes decoration competition between neighbors vyying for the title of Most Festive Home in their city (and the local newspaper feature that comes with it).
You start what was supposed to just be a business front for a money laundering scheme, but your silly idea is making more money than you ever dreamed.
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