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DIRECTORY
539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
You're the world's best photographer. Your secret? You can freeze time.
As you ride your motorcycle off into the sunset, you see something unexpected on the horizon.
Write about a time you were given responsibility.
In the closet of your new home is a portal through space and time. You accidentally travel to Mars.
You have to let go of something you treasure.
Write a children's book about a young child who gets transported into a magical world inside of a snow globe.
It is the year 3000. The sun starts to flicker.
An elderly person finally takes the last picture on a film camera they've had for decades. Today they're going to print it.
Write about a difficult decision you had to make, and how you ended up making it.
You've just made the discovery of secret playground deep in the woods... and only you know of its existence.
You left cookies on the table on the day before Christmas. When you wake up the next day, the cookies are gone, and in their place is a note. What does it say?
A door in the locker room leads to a magical fantasy world.
The world's wealthiest person has recently been put in prison for life. They offer half their fortune to any person, organization, or country that will free them.
It's Christmas, and you somehow need to manuever your parents into buying you the gift that you want.
Describe a change that you think you've gone through.
Everyday, you sit at your window to watch a neighbor play a musical instrument. You can't hear the music, but you're transfixed by the musician's expression.
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