Short story ideas for the struggling writer and those who need just a little inspiration. We have dozens of topics, so make sure you scroll through or go to the next page. Enter our Short Story Contest and be a part of our Newsletters and Anthologies.
These days, carrying a watch is a pain on the wrist. With cell phones, PDAs, and computers all around us, the need for another form of the constricting value of time becomes less desirable. What happens if the digital clocks just stopped displaying. They still worked. However, only other computerized devices could read the time. You will need to search for a reason and a way to tell time more effectively than having the computer tell you. So, you track down that old pocket watch, give it a few twists, and you realize that you can see more than just the time. You can see…
Decide what it is that the character can see. Tell the story in the first person. Imagine yourself or someone close to you trapped in this environment. Decide on the path your character travels to find solutions. What caused the clocks to stop in the first place? What can be done? Decide on the origin of the wind-up watch. Decide on the story, and write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
The day was not cloudy and the night was as dark as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Of course, that is how it usually works out, isn’t it…the truck of new bamboo arrived at the zoo…yes, bamboo, and yes, the zoo. The exhibits needed some new foliage and the pandas needed some additional food. As the keepers open the truck and begin to inspect the cargo, they hear rustling toward the back of the truck. Slowly the make their way toward the sounds. As the reach they back, flashlight shining the way, a small furry creature creeps out from behind the tall stalks. He is black and white looking bear, who is wearing an illuminated, green collar and seems to be smiling at the crew.
Where did he come from? What is that the collar for? Why is he in this truck? Is he a bear? A panda? Did he really just smile at them? Choose the main member of the crew. Choose the path each have followed prior to this moment. Choose whether to share the back stories or reveal them slowly as the story progresses. Decide on the path. Decide on the why. Decide on the story, and write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
Have you ever thought that the horse of a different color could be real? What if the wish of one little girl helped make this fantasy more of a reality? What if the horse changed colors depending on the mood it was in? What if? What if? That is what the 6 year old little girl kept asking her daddy after taking a few riding lessons.
She was so enthralled by the horse, she wanted to be able to keep him. Her dad told her that they did not allow horses in their neighborhood and if he was seen, they would send him back to the farm. The little girl asked if the horse could hide for a while. She asked if she could talk to the horse about it. She asked, she did, and the horse, somehow found a way to be with the little girl. It seemed to camouflage itself and blend in. However, when the little girl needed a ride or just wanted to see her special friend, he was there.
Tell the story of how. Tell the story of why. Tell the story of when. Tell about the father and whether he believed. Share more than just a little girl and a special horse. Share more than a fantastic adventure about a horse. Share how strong a belief needs to be for a happenstance like this to become real. Decide on the story and write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
Grandma has not been feeling well recently. In fact, her grandchildren think that she is starting to lose more than her memory. She seems to have intimate conversations with her cat. One day, however, her littlest granddaughter over hears one of those conversations…both sides…
This story connects the imagination of a little one with the belief that rests only with age. The granddaughter sneaks away from playing with her sisters to listen to the stories the feline and her grandmother share. The cat talks about what he does at night and the tricks he plays on the children, while grandma shares stories of her past.
Who is this special animal? How is the grandma and the grandchild able to understand what it is saying? Where exactly do they live? How will the stories progress? How will the story end? Decide on the path. Decide on the why. Decide on the story, but write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
There are dog bowls, dog collars, dog parks, and even little doggie boutiques…what about a dog butler? A diary of a servant to canine that talks about the monotony and the adventures of the person and the pooch. Day-to-day events such as picking up a rather smelly excrement or just going for a walk are important to the storyline. However, a significant event, humorous event, about running through the sprinklers, climbing through trash to find a favorite toy, or polishing a collar daily would enhance the stoyline and engage your readers.
Think about the type of dog being watched. Think about the history of the butler. Think about the family and whether or not they spend time with the dog or the butler is the sole source of interaction for the furry friend. Think about the demeanor of the critter and how it inspires the random, humorous adventures that the servant looks forward to daily. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
You’ve seen adventures that begin in a snow globe. How about one that is ignited by the spark of a flame and moves with each new candle lit. With certain flames, we are afforded the opportunity to join the residents of this randomized world. For the people within the spark, the light in one candle can represent years or decades.
Is there night in this world? What are they people like? Who do they represent? Can you find the flame anywhere? Or, is stored in a secluded area and only available to a select few? Where do you find an exit? Do you try? Or, do you enjoy the centuries within?
Decide on the path. Decide on the transportation route. Decide on the stories within. Decide on the path you follow and the path you lead. Decide on the story, and write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
Shucking corn had always been something Mary and her family did. With husks and little “hairs” lying together in a heap on the table, they never noticed the even thinner wisps of light that seemed to fade and float away…Where do they go? What are they? These little creatures are actually the ones who take care of the crops and nurture every kernel. The hairs left behind are the remnants of the threads they leave behind.
When Mary was 9, she thought she saw something float away and wave to her. Her mother dismisses it as a rogue ray of light. During this fall festive season, 12 years after that first experience, she picks up a new cob. Her sisters and relatives continue to talk. Her mind has begun to drift as she thinks about what she wants to do with her life. This time, however, the ray of light does wave, it stammers and lands on her nose. Mary still did not notice the creature until two others are lifting the injured one toward the window. Mary jumps up and just stares into the bright sunlight…
What happens next? Does it inspire Mary? Does she tell the others? What is their reaction? Does Mary try to track down another? Does she know where these creatures reside? Decide on the story, and write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
Life is the big city is tough enough. However, when a grown man starts seeing unicorns, elves, and trolls, life becomes even more difficult. He can not explain or share with anyone what he sees or why he sees it. However, this poor soul has watch the trolls throw tacks on the roadway and laugh as tires exploded over bridges. He has observed the elves spray painting on the sides of buildings. He has even seen a unicorn lick the top scoop of an ice cream cone and cause it to fall to the ground, leaving a mother to deal with a crying child.
Why can he only see the creatures? What else happens that other beings are influencing in our world? Is he the only sane one? Or, is the random bad luck incidents being lead by our imaginary friends. Do we share this space with other beings we thought were only part of stories?
Decide on the path. Decide with whom he shares his experiences. Decide on how his visions influence his outlook on life. Decide on how each connected incident is an intricate part of our everyday lives. Decide on the story, and write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
A boat has landed on an island far off in a lake. Not an ocean, but a lake. The island, however, has palm trees and the beach found off the higher seas. From where did this place pop up? Why hasn’t anyone ever heard of it? How did you get here? Walk around the island. Share what you see.
Talk about the swaying trees. Talk about the fine, grainy sand. Talk about the random small creatures you see as you ponder to yourself. As you reach a cave, write about whether you seek shelter in the darkness as high clouds bring the darkness all around you as well as a rolling wave of water.
Decide the fate of the day. Decide the interactions between the mind of the character and the surroundings. What is real? What is fantasy? What is part of the island? What is part of your imagination? Do you need to wait until the end of the story to understand if the island even exists? Decide on the story, and write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
Quarterbacks get the most attention…the running backs get to carry the load…wide receivers get the flash of attention…and the kicker gets the grief. What does the third string defensive left end get besides a smaller, but substantial paycheck…? That is the question to answer in this brief exploration into the game.
He is a large man with a history of performing well. He was a high school and college top star. However, he attended a small college and faced lesser talent. He was drafted in the supplemental draft, but somehow impressed someone enough in his 10 minutes of playing time in some exhibition games to make the team. He is the clean guy on the team who is really just happy to be on the team.
Write your about his life in and out of football. Write about how he handles practices and being part of the scout defense. Write about how he made the team. Perhaps, put him in a dire game situation and decide if he succeeds or fails. Decide on the story, and write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
What if our life did depend on the roll of a dice? A gambling woman would carry around her own dice. Every move, every call, she makes is determined by her roll. Each option is assigned a number that corresponds to the dots on the dice. One means she takes the bus to work; Five indicates she takes her bike. This is not always the best method, but she rolls them every day…she needs to roll them everyday.
What event in her life triggered this behavior? Why is she bound to keep on rolling? Has she ever stopped trying? If she did, what happened? Did she lose her job? Did she lose a loved one? Did she go back a few spaces and start this round of her life over again…same house, same car, same trials and tribulations.
What would the roll of the dice bring if it was on the edge? Does the woman wish to even think about it? Where did these dice come from? Who had them before her? Can she get rid of them? Or, do they end when her streak ends? Decide on the story, and write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
Retail stores are full of stories. However, when the items sold are of a different nature…a peculiar form…a unexpected product, the stories become every more interesting. This store doesn’t need storage as the goods flex to the space needed. They adjust to the shelf space and the lack thereof.
To purchase the product, each customer has to go through a psychological test to ensure the product matches the persona of the buyer. After the assessment, the product must be “tested” in the store to ensure the warranty can be upheld for the full ten-year period. Without this process, the product itself can be rescinded within those 10 years.
What is this product? Why do you have to take an assessment? What is this testing process? Why is there a 10-year warranty? Are there people who have had the item returned for them? How does it the product fit in any space? Decide on the story, and write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
We all wear different hats, literally and figuratively. What would happen if a particular line of hats made their wearer into someone else. Every time, someone puts on the hat, their life would change to someone else’s. While they would know who they were no one else would. The hats have been kept in a safe place for centuries. However, one of the guardian elf-like creatures decided they needed to be taken out for some updating. The updates were astounding, from local sport teams to cowboy hats to unique capos…each one aligning to a special family…
The challenge is that the hats must be fitted for a specific family member after the modifications, otherwise the whole lot loses their power. This means that the hats will have to be taken outside the safe haven. Who takes them out? Who will ensure their safety? Will they be worn by someone else before, during, or after the fitting? You decide. You breech the adventurous gap. Decide on the path. Decide on the why. Decide on the story, but write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
Fall brings many changes. Leaves fall and colors migrate from green to more placid hues. Fall also brings alterations in attitude…at least that is the case for one man…Every year, as the trees shed their blankets of green, this man sheds his brighter personality for a more aggressive one. Most of the time, he disappears into a residence buried in the depths of the bare forests…most of the time.
This time, however, he has found a job and a relationship that has caused him to lose track of time. The official arrival of Fall draws nearer and nearer. Instead of secluding himself, he goes about his routines and spends time with his new found joy. His temperament is growing more negative, but he has controlled or covered this behavior in the hopes of breaking the cycle.
What will he do? Does he remember that he must disappear? Will his new found companion be able to help him or even break him from his change. Will the Spring arrive early and help grow a different pattern? Decide on the path. Decide on the why. Decide on the story, but write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
An elderly gentleman sits on a simple wooden bench. His back is arched and he is leaning forward. He looks upward for a few moments, then straight ahead. He leans back and listens. Feather fly by. Furry creatures scurry along. Plastic discs and patterned round objects sail across the surface before the man. He rests.
This man has a story. This man has a reason he chose this particular bench on which to set. This man has memories that tie him to this place, this environment, this community. Where is he? What has happened in his life to lead him here? When will we see the thoughts that race through his mind as the world continues on fast forward before him?
Share pieces of a history no one knows. Share memories no one else shares. Share they joys and surprises. Share the disappointment and the tragedies. Share the life that is the man’s. Decide on the path. Decide on the why. Decide on the story, but write. Post it here, or share elsewhere, but write and enjoy…
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