40 Short Story Writing Prompts
Sage Kay
Writer, reader, outfit repeater.
Although writing short stories might be a less daunting project than novels, it can still be difficult to nail down exactly what the plot of your short story is—where does it start and where is it going? Need some inspiration? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here are 40 genre-specific short story prompts that I’m relinquishing to you to get your creative juices flowing.
40 short story prompts
Here are some writing prompts to get you started!
Contemporary
Contemporary short stories take place in the here and now, exploring real-world problems and conflict. While the story and characters are fictional, the setting is reality.
1. Think of a world event from the past month. Now, create a narrative based on the perspective of someone involved in the event. Don’t be afraid to stretch the truth to make things more exciting!
2. Think of your own life now. Write about something that happened to you, but from the perspective of someone who was watching the event transpire.
3. Choose a main character from one of your projects and write about them entering a coffee shop. Pulling characters specifically from science fiction or fantasy projects and placing them in a modern setting can make for a hilarious genre switch-up and a fun character development exercise.
4. Think of two characters from some of your favorite franchises and write about them meeting in the real world. What kind of fun match-ups can you find to make the most intriguing story?
5. Write about an old man who spends all his time on his front porch. What kinds of disputes and secrets could he pick up on just by being a silent observer?
Fantasy
Many fantasy writers love creating spin-off short stories of their invented worlds, either exploring a side character, creating a mini-prequel (or sequel), or just shaking something up in a smaller narrative. But fantasy shorts don't have to be based on anything!
6. Write about a group of friends entering a mysterious forest rumored to be cursed/haunted. What challenge does each friend face?
7. Write about a world ruled by dragons with a draconic main character looking to turn into a human.
8. Write about a young alchemist who creates a potion to "fix" his biggest weakness. What is he fixing, how does it go horribly awry, and what lesson does he learn?
9. Write a low fantasy story about a town in which thousands of cats appear overnight. Where did they come from, and why are they here?
10. Write a story about an all powerful evil mage after they’ve already won. What might a magical villain do when they’re bored and there’s no hero to stop them?
Science Fiction
Science fiction short stories rely heavily on the audience's familiarity with the genre and tropes. For example, you can exclude a ton of exposition from a story set on a spaceship hurdling through an occupied galaxy, because we've all seen Star Trek, Star Wars, and/or Firefly, so there's a general understanding of that setting, even though it doesn't exist in real life.
11. In the far future, humans can live forever if they can afford to pay for replacement parts in an inflated market. Write about a character who trades black market organs.
12. A character wakes with a strange mark on their arm. They go through their day as normal, wondering about the mark and asking other people about it. The mark is a clue that leads them to discovering a note they'd left for themselves at some point in the past. The note tells them that they're in a simulation, living the same day over and over, and their memory will reset in the morning.
13. Scientists have been searching for the possible existence of aliens based on other planets having what humans need to survive. Write about the discovery of an alien race that completely contradicts everything we thought was needed for life to exist.
14. Write about a character who’s obsessed with finding out what’s inside a black hole. When they finally have an opportunity to find out, they agree to be launched directly into one, but change their mind after it’s too late.
15. Write a story starring the planets of our solar system as personified characters.
Horror
The horror genre is a huge tub of story possibilities. Horror works well in short story format, since it doesn't take a lot of page space to deliver a really chilling scare.
16. Look up a list of phobias. Randomly pick one and write a story based on that fear.
17. Every single cryptid, legend, and myth has always existed, they were just invisible to the human eye. One day, they all become visible at once.
18. Write a story about a serial killer that’s turned into the victim by their unassuming target.
19. Write from the perspective of the monster and how they’re the one that’s really afraid.
20. Write a satire horror of a collector who knowingly purchases a haunted doll to finish their collection. Classic haunted affairs happen, his family and friends beg him to get rid of the doll, but he got it for such a steal that he can't bring himself to part with it.
Romance
Romance (of the non-erotic variety) is certainly an under-served short story genre. If you were to publish a romance collection, you'll have cornered most of the market.
21. Write a story detailing the first and last time your love interests see each other. How has their relationship changed?
22. Write about how your character's life would be different if they never met their love interest.
23. Write about two characters meeting on vacation and having a fling—at the end of their vacation, they find out the shocking truth of each other's identity.
24. Write a love story between two characters in different timelines/universes that have found a way to communicate.
25. Write a love story between personified Life and Death.
Mystery
Packing a full mystery arc into a short story takes a clever writer. Can you manage it?
26. A small town disappears, leaving no mark of it ever having existed. Well, almost no mark. Write about the journalist who fines the one remaining clue and follows it.
27. Find a true crime case or unsolved mystery and write the fictional story of your most compelling theory. (Change the names and identifying information.)
28. A young character reluctantly visits an eccentric family member over a school break. At night, they hear a strange sound coming from the attic. What do they find when they investigate?
29. Someone wakes up locked away in a room. As they do everything they can to escape, they begin to figure out how they got here.
30. Write about the first human trying to figure out what mysterious god placed them on this earth.
Thriller
31. Write about a skydiver whose parachute failed. As they try to stay calm and work with their co-diver while falling through the air, they come to a horrifying realization.
32. A character wakes up on the forest floor with no memory of how they got there. All they see besides trees and underbrush is a slip of paper with one word: Run.
33. A novice nautical pilot must rely on a stranger in their earpiece to guide them through a raging storm.
34. A cave diver meets their match in the form of a deceptively narrow cave… and an infestation within the rock walls.
35. Write about a rock climber stranded high on a very flat rock after their climbing partner has fallen to their presumed death.
Adventure
36. A group of friends sign up for a challenge that resembles The Amazing Race, but they end up lost in a jungle. They have to work together, addressing buried interpersonal issues, in order to survive.
37. Write about a young pioneer woman running away from a terrifying family situation and finding a way to survive in the wilderness. She doesn't do it alone.
38. Write about a scientist who is obsessed with one particular part of the ocean, and their adventure to pursue it.
39. Write about a group of bandits imprisoned in a jungle shack who have to work together to escape.
40. Chronicle a child’s trip to the dentist through their wild imagination.
There you have it, 40 short story prompts to get you out of your slump. Try out a couple from each genre, especially if it’s not a genre you have much experience with. You never know what writer’s gold will come out of it!
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