Top 150 Short Story Ideas

Top 150 Short Story Ideas

Do you want to write but just need a great story idea? Good news! Below are 150 short story ideas for all your favorite genres. You can use them as writing prompts for writing contests, for stories to publish in literary magazines, or just for fun!

Get started writing with one of these short story ideas today.

20 End of School Year Writing Prompts

20 End of School Year Writing Prompts

We’re inching closer to the end of the school year for students (or maybe you’re already done, like my college students!). Major testing winds down, days are full of assemblies, field days, educational games, and the countdown to summer is on. These final weeks of school are the perfect time though to sneak in some fun writing. Here are some end of school year writing prompts to try!

May Writing Prompts: 31 Days of New Ideas

May Writing Prompts: 31 Days of New Ideas

It’s a new month and time for a fresh set of May writing prompts to keep you practicing all month long. 

An integral part of the writing process and building your writing skills in general is consistent practice. You can use prompts in a variety of ways to make your daily writing habits stick. Try this set of daily writing prompts to keep growing!

20 Fantasy Short Story Ideas

20 Fantasy Short Story Ideas

Fantasy as a genre includes a wide range of characters, quests, mythical creatures, and fantasy worlds. I love to escape everyday life in fantasy stories where there’s powerful magic coupled with compelling storytelling.
Here are twenty fantasy short story ideas to help you create your own!

40 Coming of Age Story Ideas

40 Coming of Age Story Ideas

Growing up is a universal experience with a myriad of variations. Some cultures and families have rituals that young people follow or rebel against to find their way to adulthood or self-actualization. Others are left to stumble through their entire life trying to figure out how to experience happiness.

We often think of coming of age or initiation stories as a journey from adolescence to adulthood, but some adults reach legal age without becoming a mature person. They can undergo a coming of age story much later. 
Let’s look at some prompts to write coming of age stories.

20 Spine-tingling Horror Story Prompts

20 Spine-tingling Horror Story Prompts

Horror wants to scare, to shock, to terrify, and sometimes even to repulse readers or audiences. It delves deep into the human psyche to look at what scares us and why, as well as to examine the limits of human depravity (Hannibal Lector, anyone?).
Try one of these prompts designed to terrify.