What are some good ideas for a short story?

Question

I need some good ideas for a short story.

Answer 1

Short stories tend to be more concise and to the point than longer works of fiction, such as novellas (in the modern sense of this term) and novels. Because of their brevity, successful short stories rely on literary devices such as character, plot, theme, language, and insight to a greater extent than long form fiction. Below is a list of ideas I think would work. Also, the link in my sources goes to a page with advice on short story writing.
1. someones first day at school
2. someones first day at a new job
3. the day aliens came to the earth
4. a day in which you swap views with your pet
5. one very bad day for someone
6. one very good day for someone

Answer 2

Plot for Your Short Story
Begin with an arresting first paragraph or lead, enough to grab the readers and make them curious to know what happens next.
Make sure your plot works - there must be a beginning, a middle and an end. But don't spend too much time on the build-up, so that the climax or denouement (as in the twist ending) is relegated to one sentence, leaving the reader bothered and bemused but sadly, not bewitched.

And don't signal the twist ending too soon - try to keep the reader guessing until the last moment.

If you're telling a fast-moving story, say crime, then keep your paragraphs and sentences short. It's a trick that sets the pace and adds to the atmosphere you're conveying to the reader.

Don't re-invent the wheel ... take advantage of all the wonderful products that are available to writers (and artists) these days.

A for the theme, you extract it from the characters, action, and setting that make up the story. In other words, you must figure out the theme yourself.

Answer 3

I agree with Answerer 1, but I also think that you can write a good story if you try to picture yourself in someone's shoes. For example, imagine yourself as a comma patient in a hospital room. What would you see, hear, remember, etc.? The secret is to be convincing (and to write well, of course). If you can do both, you'll have a great story. But, there´s another detail, which can make all the difference. Insert a few dramatic scenes in your story, that is, "show" some characters in action. If you have never read Wayne Booth's The Rhetoric of Fiction, do it. It's a must.

Answer 4

The best advice is to always write about what you know. Think of anything that has happened to you in the past. Then try to turn it around so it would have been funny or dramatic or ironic. This is a good way to get story ideas.

Answer 5

How about basing the story on exactly this...an internet site where you post questions and recieve many answers of varying ideas from a vast cross section of people...(half truth, half imagination is what creativity is)!!...good luck..