100 Short Story Prompts

Here are 100 short story prompts to spark your imagination:

Everyday Life & Relationships:

1. A lost photograph reveals a family secret.

2. Write about a chance encounter that changes someone's life.

3. A neighbor's unusual hobby becomes increasingly unsettling.

4. Tell the story of a difficult conversation between two friends.

5. Someone finds an old diary in their new home.

6. Write about the complexities of a long-distance friendship.

7. A small act of kindness has unexpected consequences.

8. Two strangers are forced to rely on each other during a crisis.

9. Write about the day someone decides to pursue a lifelong dream.

10. A misunderstanding threatens a close relationship.

11. The story of a treasured family heirloom.

12. Write about the challenges of moving to a new town.

13. Someone overhears a conversation they shouldn't have.

14. A character rediscovers a passion they had forgotten.

15. Write about the dynamics of a workplace rivalry.

16. A surprise party goes horribly wrong.

17. Tell the story of a difficult choice between love and career.

18. Someone tries to mend a broken relationship.

19. Write about the day someone decides to forgive.

20. A seemingly ordinary object holds a hidden significance.

    
    

Fantasy & Sci-Fi:

21. A world where people can trade memories.

22. Write about the last dragon on Earth.

23. A spaceship crew discovers a planet made entirely of water.

24. Tell the story of a magical object with unpredictable side effects.

25. A society where dreams are broadcast for entertainment.

26. Write about a rebellion against a technologically advanced overlord.

27. Someone finds a portal to another dimension in their attic.

28. Tell the story of a sentient AI struggling with its existence.

29. A city built on the back of a giant, moving creature.

30. Write about a future where emotions are controlled by implants.

31. A hidden community of magic users in the modern world.

32. Tell the story of a journey through a shifting, dreamlike landscape.

33. A character discovers they are not who they thought they were.

34. Write about the colonization of a new planet with strange flora and fauna.

35. A prophecy that seems impossible to fulfill.

36. Tell the story of a mythical creature trying to survive in the human world.

37. A technology that allows people to relive past lives.

38. Write about a war fought with unconventional weapons.

39. A character who can communicate with plants.

40. Tell the story of a lost artifact with immense power.

    
    

Mystery & Thriller:

41. A locked-room mystery with an impossible solution.

42. Write about a detective investigating a series of anonymous letters.

43. Someone witnesses a crime but can't go to the police.

44. Tell the story of a missing person with no trace.

45. A character receives a cryptic warning.

46. Write about a stalker with an unusual obsession.

47. Someone uncovers a dark secret about their family.

48. Tell the story of a high-stakes game of cat and mouse.

49. A seemingly accidental death turns out to be murder.

50. Write about a small town with a sinister underbelly.

51. An antique object holds a clue to a long-forgotten crime.

52. Tell the story of a journalist investigating a dangerous conspiracy.

53. Someone wakes up with amnesia in a strange place.

54. Write about a series of unsettling events in a remote location.

55. A witness who is also the prime suspect.

56. Tell the story of a race against time to prevent a disaster.

57. A hidden message found in an unexpected place.

58. Write about the psychological breakdown of someone under pressure.

59. A betrayal with deadly consequences.

60. Tell the story of a cold case that suddenly heats up.

    
    

Horror & Supernatural:

61. A house that is slowly driving its inhabitants mad.

62. Write about a creature that only appears in mirrors.

63. Someone finds a book that predicts their future – with terrifying results.

64. Tell the story of a haunting in a familiar place.

65. A small town with a dark and ancient curse.

66. Write about a nightmare that starts to bleed into reality.

67. Someone can hear the voices of the dead.

68. Tell the story of a malevolent entity that feeds on fear.

69. A seemingly innocent children's game takes a sinister turn.

70. Write about a pandemic that reanimates the deceased.

71. A forest with a dark and hungry presence.

72. Tell the story of an object possessed by a vengeful spirit.

73. Someone is stalked by a creature no one else can see.

74. Write about a ritual that goes horribly wrong.

75. A community that worships a terrifying entity.

76. Tell the story of a descent into madness.

77. A reflection that doesn't mimic its owner.

78. Write about a sound that drives people to violence.

79. A secret hidden beneath a seemingly normal town.

80. Tell the story of a bargain with a dark power.

    
    

Humor & Satire:

81. Write a story about a ridiculously incompetent superhero.

82. Tell the story of a disastrous attempt at a DIY project.

83. A world where sarcasm is the official language.

84. Write about the absurdities of modern technology.

85. Someone tries to navigate a bureaucracy with illogical rules.

86. Tell the story of a pet with a secret, human-like intelligence.

87. A competition with bizarre and hilarious challenges.

88. Write about the chaos that ensues when inanimate objects come to life.

89. Someone tries to pull off an elaborate prank that backfires spectacularly.

90. Tell the story of a support group for people with ridiculous phobias.

91. A dating app for mythical creatures.

92. Write about the trials and tribulations of a truly terrible boss.

93. A town obsessed with a bizarre and nonsensical tradition.

94. Tell the story of a well-meaning but utterly clueless protagonist.

95. A product with wildly exaggerated advertising claims.

96. Write about the challenges of living in a world where everyone tells the absolute truth.

97. A group of friends with hilariously incompatible personalities.

98. Tell the story of a disastrous family gathering.

99. A self-help book with completely unhelpful advice.

100. Write a story about the existential crisis of a household appliance.