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DIRECTORY
539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
A character doesn't know how to ask their parent to stop calling them 2+ times a day.
Your mom has just sat you down and told you that you'll have a baby sister.
You participated in your office's Secret Santa, but no one will admit to buying your gift. Write a story about the search for the mysterious gifter.
The Earth does not rotate. One side always faces the sun and is in continual daylight. The other side is in eternal night. Cultures on both sides develop around this.
Write about a time that you were challenged in a belief that you had.
Write a story about the all-out war among the PTA moms to snatch up the last Spider-Man costume in the costume shop.
Write a story about a family who goes pumpkin picking, only to discover that at some point their prize pumpkins have been mysteriously switched with others from the patch. What happens next?
Write a story about something that seems ordinary to your protagonist but would be perceived as extraordinary by someone else.
"What? You're Father who? I don't know no Father Christmas, now get off of my lawn!"
You find your grandparent's old chessboard in the attic. Absentmindedly, you move a piece. The next day, an opposing piece has been moved.
Write a story about a young couple getting into their first argument over what costume their pet should wear on Halloween.
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.
Write a Halloween story based on your latest nightmare.
Write a story with the worlds: "calculation," "corn," and "mayor."
A magician, a troll, and a college student walk into a bar.
You find a well-kept, spotless leather bound book in the middle of a vast desert.
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