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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
A person dictates who he or she will date based on quantitative measures, such as horoscopes, how they perform on a test, etc.
By the time this party is finished, three people's lives will be changed forever.
You were mowing your lawn when someone walked by your yard and burst into tears.
Sweet Sixteenth? More like Salty Sixteenth!
Write about the most epic Easter egg hunt ever.
A magician, a troll, and a college student walk into a bar.
A long-standing feud erupts during a funeral or wedding.
Write about the dream that you've held onto for the longest.
You just discovered England's biggest secret: every time they sing "God Save the Queen" it extends the queens life.
You just discovered that you can teleport into one Hallmark Christmas rom-com of your choosing. Which movie do you choose, and what happens differently in the movie because of your arrival?
It is discovered that Earth actually IS flat.
The theme for this year's prom is "Great Gatsby," and you're the head of the prom committee that's in charge of putting it together.
The money is good. But the lies have built up. This empire of yours has been built on a secret, a stolen technology, and the guilt has reached its peak. You have to come out with the truth
Someone who has lived a thousand years takes up a job teaching high school history.
Write an unrequited loved story using situational irony.
Ten years later, you see the person who bullied you in middle school in the middle of 7-11.
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