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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
Your parents named you Holly after your grandmother, and you just accepted an invite for a group called The Jolly Hollies thinking that it was a club for people with your name. Turns out that it's actually an annual caroling group, and you can't sing.
Many action movies involve the hero jumping into a vehicle and demanding the driver to "follow that car!" Write from the perspective of the driver.
You hear music emanating from aisle 3 of your local grocery store. No one else hears it.
You are a server at a restaurant, having the busiest shift of your life.
Write about the most epic Easter egg hunt ever.
You're sitting at your desk eating candy hearts. You start to realize the notes on the hearts are trying to give you a message.
Santa Claus is backed up with orders recently, and you're in charge of writing the official letter of apology to all of the children around the world informing them that their presents may arrive a week late this year.
A story that takes place in the Wild West, but the world is frigid, covered with snow and ice instead of sand.
Write a story about a series of unfortunate events that takes place over the span of a field trip.
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."
You're stranded on a treasure island.
Set your story at the bleachers of the track and field.
As a joke, you use your cell phone to dial your own number. Someone picks up.
Set your story on a hayride. Bonus points if a headless horseman makes an appearance.
A love story that starts and ends in 24 hours.
You're one of Santa Claus's elves, and wishes on childrens' wishlists from around the world this Christmas have gone through the roof. Literally. Now you need to somehow find a repairman to fix Santa's roof before Santa finds out.
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