More apps built by Reedsy

reedsymarketplace

Assemble a team of professionals

reedsystudio

The writing app for authors

reedsylearning

Writing courses, events and memberships

reedsydiscovery

Get your book reviewed

reedsyprompts

Weekly writing prompts and contests

REEDSY PROMPTS

Write your book in Reedsy Studio. Try the beloved writing app for free today.

Win up to $250 in our weekly writing contest

Submit your short story on Reedsy Prompts.

Add filters

Categories

Are you ready to write but don’t know what to write about? Prepare to kick your writing into gear by browsing through our list of 200+ short story ideas. New prompts are added each week, and you can search by genre. But don’t let our categories stop you from putting your own spin on a writing prompt: if you find a short story idea tagged as sci-fi, but you think it would make a great romance plot, run with it! For tips on how to come up with your own story ideas, scroll to the bottom of the page.

539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026

Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.

No results match this search 🔦 - Reset

539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026

Save your shortlist

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.