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539 Best Short Story Ideas for Authors in 2026
Showing 539 short story ideas curated by Reedsy.
Write about Christmas from the perspective of the local cat.
You've been turned into a ghost! Now the fun part begins. Who do you pick to haunt, and why?
You're in charge of creating the new school lunch menu. What kind of menu would you make?
Write a story about two characters competing to take the worst ever picture-day portrait.
Write a story about a young couple getting into their first argument over what costume their pet should wear on Halloween.
You're haunted by a ghost. That's not the problem. The problem is that this ghost is really, really, really chatty.
A person dictates who he or she will date based on quantitative measures, such as horoscopes, how they perform on a test, etc.
Write a story about something that seems ordinary to your protagonist but would be perceived as extraordinary by someone else.
You're in an airport, watching people say goodbye before heading through security.
You are granted one wish. But you have to use the wish for someone else.
You stumble across an abandoned house in the woods.
"Pick a card, any card. But take care — which card you pull out will determine your fate."
Write a story set at a peppermint convention for people obsessed with peppermint.
Your new cell phone number used to be the number of a very popular personal therapist.
Write a story where your character gets close to obtaining their greatest desire.
A woman drops her wallet on the street, and it falls open. You pick it up and are about to return it to her when you notice a strange picture inside.
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