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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 a rival studio that is desperately trying to create a song to outsell Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You."
A former party animal lives in a retirement home. They've decided it's time for one last bash.
You're on a sleepover with your best friend, when your best friend starts to act strangely.
Write a story about a family adopting a black cat, just in time for Halloween.
From a dog's perspective, humans seem to be either immortal or at least live extremely long lives. Write from the perspective of a dog contemplating this.
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.
You're home alone for the first time ever. Write a story about how the day unfolds.
You're cleaning the attic when you find something terribly old, terribly fragile, and terribly powerful...
You are granted one wish. But you have to use the wish for someone else.
Write about a time that you were challenged in a belief that you had.
Write a story about a young character who wants to learn magic.
Write a story about a pair of siblings who open up a lemonade stand during summer vacation, and the rivalry that flares up when their neighbors decide to start a Kool-Aid stand at the same time.
You work the night shift at a 24 hour laundromat. The job seems normal until someone crawls out of one of the washers and tells you that after dark, every machine leads to a different world.
It's a Thursday evening, and Greg Richerson is flashing his sports cars again.
What are you talking about, dude? I'm right here? Can't you see me?
You're donating blood as normal in October when you notice that the nurse taking care of you is... strangely... pale? And seems to have oddly-shaped teeth... that almost look like fangs...?
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