Short Stories Ideas

If you are looking for short story ideas, this blog post will give you some inspiration. We have compiled a list of short stories with different themes that may appeal to your tastes. Find the perfect one for your next reading adventure!

Let’s dive deeper into what short stories ideas are out there.

Ideas for short stories 

Short Stories About Your Life

Have you ever thought about writing your life story but felt daunted by the task?  Think about those pivotal moments in your life that have changed you as a person and how they shaped you into the person you are today. You can wrote these into a series of short stories or one full blown book, it’s up to you!

I’m sure there are a few things you’ve gone through in your life that would make for an interesting read.

Think back to when you were a child and the funny, quirky things only children do. When I think about it, I have so many memories that I wish I could relive just one more time.

I remember my first day of school, the first time I rode a bike all by myself and how terrified I was at the prospect of going to high school.

Thinking about these moments is bringing back so many memories that honestly, I’d love to have them written down for me to look back on again in years to come.

Short Stories On Your Favorite Topics

There are some topics out there that have been written about so often, you may struggle to come up with enough new ideas to write a short story.

Instead of trying something completely different, why not think about writing a short story based on an idea that has already been done?

Let’s say that your favorite topic is cats, get out some pencils or open up your word processing program and start writing.

Don’t be afraid to abandon the story if something better comes along while you’re writing it. If you can come up with new ideas on what might happen next, great! Write them down and save them for later drafts. I

f not, don’t worry about it and just go with what comes naturally.

 Short Stories Under 500 Words

Writing a short story doesn’t have to be long and winded like the great classics of literature such as War and Peace, Moby Dick or The Hunchback of Notre Dame (all super long books that I have no intention of reading).

There are actually competitions out there that only accept stories under 500 words. Why not take a chance on creating something unique in just a few words? You can do it!

 Short Stories With A Twist Ending

One popular type of short story is the twist ending. You should try to come up with a twist ending so mind bending that your readers won’t see it coming from a mile away.

It should leave them feeling as though you have cheated them out of an opportunity to solve the mystery themselves.

A good twist ending should leave the reader thinking about why they didn’t work it out beforehand and hopefully questioning what they think is true.

 Short Stories On Your Favorite Place Or Destination

If you live in the middle of nowhere, your favorite place might be at home because everywhere you go is like your favorite place.

I’m moving to Cabarita Beach this month and my favorite destination thus far has been Bangalow, NSW.

What’s yours?

Writing a story based on your favorite place should be easy because you know it so well. Make sure you include every little detail that makes this place unique to you or else your readers may think it’s not your favorite place at all.

Still need more ideas? Here’s more short stories ideas generator

Short Stories About Food

Food is a popular topic in literature and, as such, it’s no wonder that many writers have tried their hand at writing stories about food.

Just think about some of your favorite foods and let your imagination run wild! If you’re feeling stuck, why not try writing a story from the point of view of a food item?

You can make it humorous or heartfelt – either way should be interesting to read.

 Short Stories Based On A Song Lyrics

I used to work at an Italian restaurant where my coworker would always use song lyrics as topics of conversation while we were serving our customers. I noticed that people would stop and listen to her whenever she wanted to share a lyric but as soon as she finished saying what she had to say, they would walk away again.

This seemed like something that could be turned into a short story so I started jotting down song lyrics about love lost and found. Just be careful about copyright laws though.

 Short Stories Based On Childhood Memories

If you’re struggling to come up with an idea, why not try writing a story based on your memories of childhood?

Think about some of the things that happened during your youth and let them inspire you to write something new.

You could even use fictional characters in these real life events if you wanted to or create some entirely new event. Anything goes!

Short Stories About The World We Live In

The world is filled with many mysteries, but the biggest mystery of all (at least to me) is how people can see the earth as a tiny ball spinning through space when you are standing on it!

This would be an interesting topic for anyone who loves science fiction or just wants to have some fun with their imagination.

Stories About The Objects We Use Everyday

I’ve always thought that my wallet was like a miniature city in itself because of all the compartments and pockets within it.

There’s one pocket for my credit cards, another for my business cards, one for my notes, one for my coins  and so on. Each of these items had their own story to tell if we could just open them up and listen!

You can do the same with any object that you use every day – your keys, glasses or even refrigerator magnets.

Short Stories About Love And Romance

If you’re feeling a little sappy, why not try writing a story about love and romance? It doesn’t have to be traditional in any way. You can write from your point of view or that of your favorite fictional character; you can write something new or create something based on an existing idea (such as Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”).

 Short Stories On The Things That Scare You

Everyone has something that scares them – haunted houses, the dark…even social situations sometimes. Think of what terrifies you the most and try to work it into a short story or perhaps even a novel! You can take inspiration from other stories if you want – perhaps your idea will be the next great horror story.

 Short Stories About The Innocence Of Childhood

A child’s mind is something that needs to be protected because it is so young and pure, but it can also inspire some great stories. For example, you could write about the innocence of childhood with your own characters or by writing a story from the point of view of one of your favorite fictional children.

Short Stories About The Power Of Imagination

Have you ever been so wrapped up in a book that the character’s adventures seemed to come alive? I’m sure we’ve all experienced this at some point and it would be fun to write about something similar!

You could even include other elements from your life or just have a little fun with your imagination. Just imagine what you could write about!

Short Stories About The Things We Lost As Adults

The world is a harsh place and as we grow older, we lose things as well as gain new ones – old friends who move away or die, relationships that end and sometimes we even lose hope or faith in something we once believed in.

You can write about these losses and introduce new characters to find hope again (or perhaps show how they’ve changed due to this). Short stories ideas

Short Stories About Childhood Fears

When we were children, there were always things that scared us – monsters under the bed or in the closet, ghosts hiding in dark corners…the list goes on.

Think of your favorite things to be afraid of and write a short story about them! You can even include other elements from your childhood such as toys, friends etc.

Short Stories About The Love Between Family And Friends

When we’re young, we often take our family for granted because they are just always there – but that changes as we grow older. We often move away for work or school and sometimes, family members become ill or pass on.

Write about the love between family and friends with your own characters or by writing a story from the point of view of one of your favorite fictional children.

Short Stories About Dreams And Goals

Every day, people go to school, work or even just lounge around at home – but what are their goals and dreams? You could write a short story about someone who has just been accepted into the college of their choice, achieved the career they’ve always wanted…or perhaps meet up with an old friend to find out how they’ve changed since high school.

Short Stories For Children

Children’s books can be inspiring for people of all ages. If you’re looking to write something new, perhaps try your hand at creating a short story with simpler language and more illustrations than usual! You could even adapt an idea or character you’ve seen elsewhere.

Short Stories About The Power Of Nature

Everyone knows that Mother Earth is something we should be protecting instead of destroying.

Write about how nature is our friend and it’ll always help us if we let it or perhaps you could write a story where the main character has to find the balance between nature and modern technology.

Short Stories About The Unfortunate And Those Who Take Advantage Of Them

The world is full of unfortunate people who are abused or taken advantage of by others – but this is not right.

Perhaps you could write a story about an unfortunate person whose life improves after meeting someone special…or perhaps the main character finally stands up to their abuser.

What about short stories ideas based on fiction genres:

Fantacy short stories ideas

Sci-fi short stories ideas

Romance short stories ideas

Crime short stories ideas

Conclusion

Short stories are a great way to keep yourself entertained and learning new things. We hope that you enjoyed these short story excerpts, as well as the analysis of them. It was our pleasure to share this information with you! Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you next time on The Short Reads.

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