Mar 27, 2022 · 17 Short Story And Essay Collections For When You Want To Laugh, Cry, Think, Or Swoon. Whether you're in a reading slump or just want to read something different, these collections will... ... Reedsy Prompts is home to the largest short stories collection. Check out 25000+ stories by up & coming writers across the world. Choose the genre of your interest and start reading now from the largest online collection of handpicked short stories for free! ... Grow your "To Be Read" pile with 31 of the best short stories and collections of all time, from all sorts of backgrounds and sources. ... Read the best fiction short stories for free on Reedsy Prompts. Be it fantasy, romance, or historical fiction stories; our collection includes them all. Choose now from 34250+ short fiction stories and start reading online! ... Oct 7, 2019 · I’ve compiled 20 different websites where I regularly find free short stories. Narrative Magazine is a free space for readers to enjoy some of the best short stories, essays, and poetry written by both established and emerging writers. ... Dec 4, 2024 · These books are master classes in the art of the short story, full of unputdownable writing that you won’t easily forget. We hope you love them as much as we did. The books included on this list were chosen by a vote from the EL community. Here are Electric Lit’s Top 5 short story collections of 2024, followed by the best short story ... ... Over 1,200 short stories from the world's most acclaimed authors, specially selected for school and recreational readers of all levels and ages. ... Click a button to find the best short stories from the authors below. We also have a great collection of Short Stories for Students and a library full of Children's Stories. ... Nov 21, 2023 · Short stories that can addict, engross, and absorb just like a novel can – but in the timespan of one morning commute or a relaxing bath. And there are plenty of places to find high-quality quick reads online, often for free. ... Explore captivating short stories encompassing Essay and indulge in the rich narratives of this curated collection. Immerse yourself in a world of imagination. ... ">

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17 Short Story And Essay Collections For When You Want To Laugh, Cry, Think, Or Swoon

Whether you're in a reading slump or just want to read something different, these collections will revitalize you!

Kaitlin Stevens

BuzzFeed Contributor

1. Girls Can Kiss Now by Jill Gutowitz

short stories and essays

Jill Gutowitz's debut essay collection has solidified her own place in the lesbian canon, which she explores in-depth in one of her essays where she lists vital pieces of it, including oat milk, elderflower syrup, and "Eliza Dushku just existing." If you haven't read Jill's work yet, I don't know what you're waiting for — she is consistently the funniest and best person to follow on Twitter and her Gaylor missives are not to be missed. 

Jill's exploration of her own identity is told through era-defining anecdotes, a reminder of just how influential pop culture really is on our lives — which isn't a bad thing, according to Jill. If you love the early aughts-setting of PEN15 , Lindsay Lohan , and folklore , this is the perfect read for you.

Get it from Bookshop or through your local bookstore via Indiebound . You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.  

2. Game On: 15 Stories of Wins, Losses and Everything In Between edited by Laura Silverman

short stories and essays

This YA anthology is a prime example of the millions of ways a prompt can be interpreted. While the cover may trick you into believing this anthology is all about sports, it's not the case. For instance, Nina Moreno, author of Don't Date Rosa Santos , has an endearing sapphic story about two girls who fall in love playing a farming sim (aka what queer cottagecore dreams are made of). And the first story in the collection, Sona Charaipotra's "Let It Spin," tells of a game of spin the bottle that changed the direction of its MC's life, detailing a devastating friendship breakup . Editor Laura Silverman also has a story in the anthology about sexism and tabletop gaming. And sure, there are sports stories in it, too, ranging from cheerleading to soccer and everywhere in between. There's something for everyone here.

3. Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative by Melissa Febos

short stories and essays

A new collection of essays by writer Melissa Febos navigates the relationship between mind and body, how they are less separated than we think, and how our bodies dictate the way we remember and tell stories. A craft book at its core, the ideas presented will invoke thoughts about process for writers, but it's an insightful read whether you're a writer or not. 

Get it from Bookshop or through your local bookstore via Indiebound . You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm . 

4. The Last Suspicious Holdout: Stories by Ladee Hubbard

short stories and essays

Ladee Hubbard's collection of 13 short stories offer vignettes of different Black families living in an unnamed "sliver of Southern suburbia" in a time between the beginning of Bill Clinton's presidency to the inauguration of President Barack Obama . Their stories range from funny to sad; always vivid, mostly hopeful, with a strong focus on matters that affect Black families at disproportionate rates: namely the quality and accessibility of education and healthcare, the war on drugs, and the criminal justice system. There is a strong sense of community throughout the stories, told in a world where resilience and hope are the only options, and nothing is taken for granted. 

5. Cost of Living: Essays by Emily Maloney

short stories and essays

It's no secret that our healthcare system, especially in the US, is beyond broken. This collection of essays from Emily Maloney tells two sides of the story: as a patient and as a healthcare professional, the ways she was wronged and pushed into debt, and the stories of patients she cared for as an emergency room technician. Rather than choosing between a focus on how mental health treatment is not handled properly in this country or a focus on how the smallest of injuries can send someone into massive debt, Maloney explores it all: the different creaks and crevices of the ways the healthcare industry can fail its patients over and over again. 

6. New Teeth by Simon Rich

short stories and essays

Simon Rich's new collection of short stories is an ode to growing up, which is something we can never have enough of. Wholly imaginative, like a child should be, the stories play up a child's fears and big questions, asking: What if they were true? And rather than just dream up the nightmares, Rich provides the answers, letting every insane scenario end in a place of comfort and certainty, at least to some degree. Whether you're looking to get in touch with your inner child, wanting a voice that hears you as a new parent, or just in need of a laugh, you'll find what you're in search of in New Teeth.

Get it from Bookshop or through your local bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.  

7. In the Margins: On the Pleasures of Reading and Writing by Elena Ferrante

short stories and essays

Elena Ferrante ( My Brilliant Friend ) has long established herself as an author to look out for. So much so that she was invited to give a public series of lectures on writing at the University of Bologna, but the pandemic put a halt to those plans. Instead, she compiled those lessons in this book.

While she's well-known for her fiction, and for being an anonymous author, this book of essays allows her to explore nonfiction writing and allows readers to get a closer glimpse into the mind of this mysterious writer. Elena's prose does not suffer in this different medium; if anything, it's as strong and beautiful as ever.

Get it from Bookshop or through your local bookstore via Indiebound . 

8. Reclaim The Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space edited by Zoraida Córdova

short stories and essays

Featuring both new and acclaimed voices in the Latin American writing space, this anthology explores the world of science fiction, magic, and fantasy through different lenses in the Latin American diaspora, divided into sections. From stories with magical space princesses (Anne-Marie McClemore's "Reign of Diamonds") to stories with plant-growing magic (Zoraida Cordova's "Tame the Wicked Night"), underneath all the supernatural forces are stories about love, death, grief, acceptance, family pressure, coming to terms with your sexuality, and much more. You're bound to find a new favorite story or author here.

Get it from Bookshop or through your local bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm . 

9. Dear Damage: Essays by Ashley Marie Farmer

short stories and essays

Ashley Farmer's collection of essays on grief are gripping from the start, as she sets the scene of a turning point in her grandparents' marriage. A bad fall paralyzes her grandmother unexpectedly, and trying to do what he thinks is right, her grandfather shoots and kills her shortly after in a "mercy killing." He tries to kill himself, too, but fails. And thus starts the collection of hybrid essays focused on Farmer's grandparents, interspersed with internet comments on the news story, audio transcripts, legal documents, and more, making for a truly unique and fascinating book.

Get it from Bookshop or through your local bookstore via Indiebound.

10. Shit Cassandra Saw by Gwen E. Kirby

A blue book cover, with illustrated eyes above the title and illusrated red lips underneath the title

Gwen E. Kirby's debut collection of short stories dares to ask: What if we just let women be their messiest selves? Through this lens, she imagines scenarios women (and men!) may have encountered since the Hellenic times up until today, playing with different structures including a "How To" essay and a scathing Yelp review that has a lot more bubbling under the surface. These hilarious stories use satire to examine real struggles and criticisms of the world and patriarchal standards. If you want to laugh and think, pick this one up. 

Get it from Bookshop or through your local bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. 

11. Up All Night: 13 Stories Between Sunset and Sunrise edited by Laura Silverman

short stories and essays

This genre-blending anthology features contemporary stories, romance, horror, and even stories about superheroes, all from acclaimed YA authors such as Nina LaCour, Tiffany D. Jackson, Karen M. McManus, and more. What do these stories have in common? They take place in the wee hours of the night, where the magic happens. With disability rep, queer rep, Black rep, and Asian rep, this diverse collection of stories explores both exciting and painful firsts, like first loves and first heartbreaks, as well as stories about friendship breakups and friendship rekindlings, and poignant lessons in self-discovery. 

Get it from Bookshop or through your local bookstore via Indiebound . You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. 

12. The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories edited by Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang

short stories and essays

Told and translated by a team of female and nonbinary creators, The Way Spring Arrives  is a collection of short stories and nonfiction essays centered on underrepresented voices in Chinese science fiction and fantasy. The stories are often existential and sometimes dystopian, exploring deep and dark "what if's" in the real world and other universes, flush with vivid setting descriptions. Aside from the gorgeously translated stories, there are essays on the art of translation that will give you a new appreciation for the intricacies of translation, including some written by critically acclaimed author of The Poppy Wars  trilogy, R. F. Kuang.

Get it from Bookshop or through your local bookstore via Indiebound . You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm. 

13. That Way Madness Lies edited by Dahlia Adler

short stories and essays

Whether or not you love Shakespeare, you're sure to love this collection of contemporary reimaginings of some of the Bard's most famous stories, as told by a diverse group of prominent YA authors. There are prom stories based off Twelfth Night (Mark Oshiro's "Shipwrecked"), road trip stories based off Sonnet 147 (Brittany Cavallaro's "His Invitation"), troubled sibling stories based off The Tempest (Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley's "Severe Weather Warning") and so much more, including some spectacular queer and genderfluid rep in quite a few stories, sure to make William himself proud. 

14. Seeking Fortune Elsewhere by Sindya Bhanoo

short stories and essays

This debut collection of short stories from Sindya Bhanoo is a rich exploration of the South Indian immigrant experience, telling varying stories from different characters all detailing the hard and surprising parts of their journeys, reminding readers that these decisions are never easy to make. Raw, honest, and intimate, Bhanoo's gift for storytelling shines in these short stories that paint full pictures and connect with each other, though they take place in different countries. 

15. Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho

short stories and essays

In Fiona and Jane , author Jean Chen Ho takes advantage of the short story format to freely jump around different eras and shift perspectives while telling the stories of two Asian American best friends who find themselves on opposite sides of the country in their adulthood, recounting their personal and joint explorations of identity, love, sexuality, and ambition. Told in the way two real friends may be telling the same stories with varying perspectives to their kids or partners, the honesty and emotions in Fiona and Jane  sheds a beautiful light on the joy of female friendship and how it can shape a person, ground them, and help them see themselves for who they really are. 

16. Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu

Blue book cover with pieces of images of bird wings, trees, branches, frog legs, flowers

A collection of stories that are horrifying and fantastical, Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century is more than just stomach-churning imagery of bugs and other creatures. With unique perspectives, the stories explore the monsters hiding in plain sight — the effects of technology, the aftermath of grief, the pain of growing up, the trouble that is being a part of a family. As unsettling as the stories may be, they are often relatable, too, and at the very least, thought-provoking.

17. A Manual For Cleaning Women: Selected Stories by Lucia Berlin

short stories and essays

I couldn't write a list of short stories without including this posthumous, must-read collection from the late Lucia Berlin. With a haunting and poignant voice, Berlin weaves tales about alcoholism, tainted love, motherhood, grief, and more, set across a number of settings across the United States. Painfully honest, every emotion explored by Berlin is palpable. An unforgettable collection of stories that belongs on everyone's bookshelf.  

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34280+ Fiction Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest . If you’re looking for the best fiction short stories to read online, we’ve got you covered. Wide-ranging and ever-curious, these free short stories will meet your reading needs.

🏆 Winning stories

“ the empty laboratory ” by kashira argento.

🏆 Winner of Contest #279

Seventeen blinks. The yellow warning light on his air gauge always blinked seventeen times before turning red. Dr. Chen counted them like heartbeats while replacing his oxygen tank, each one marking another three hours of borrowed time. Through the reinforced windows of his BSL-4 lab, the setting sun painted the research facility in the same amber shade as the viral suspension he'd been perfecting when the sprinklers activated.The test results still glowed on his screen: successful protein synthesis, perfect binding affinity, precise species...

“ Santa, The Hitman? ” by Mary Butler

🏆 Winner of Contest #278

Content Note:This story contains references to physical violence and implied gore. These elements are presented in a darkly comedic and absurd context, focusing on the moral and emotional implications rather than explicit descriptions. Reader discretion is advised.The hospice smells like antiseptic and failed dreams. A Christmas-themed air freshener dangles from the IV stand, swaying in time with my father’s mechanical wheezing. It smells like cinnamon. And regret. The fluorescent lights hum, drowning out the morphine’s slow drip.Hi, I’m the...

“ Drone ” by Mortimer Ridgewood

🏆 Winner of Contest #272

She first heard it while she was making coffee.The morning was already off to a rough start. Rachel had woken up, lazy and languid in the wake of her twice-snoozed alarm, and reached for her husband’s side of the bed. Much to her disgruntlement, the spot where he should have been was empty and cold. She glared at the empty space for a moment, then promptly snoozed her alarm again out of spite. One of the downsides of working from home was she missed out on good morning kisses as Mark got ready for his morning commute. The upside, however, wa...

⭐️ Recommended stories

“ my father plays dead nocturnes ” by gem cassia.

Submitted to Contest #282

There’s sheet music on the stand with my name on it. I’ve never seen it before in my life. It’s five in the afternoon and there’s just enough light streaming through the cracks in the blinds to be able to make out the notes. Nocturne for Kole is scribbled across the top of the page. Jarring to see her handwriting appear again so suddenly, and to still recognize it. Feels utterly mundane and supernatural all at once; like finding a ghost in your hamper. I squint my eyes in the living room dusk, my hands fumbling over the phrases. Since s...

“ Fallen ” by Geertje H

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean …” her whisper echoes in the empty space.Though the stage is empty, the lights doused, the curtain lowered and only the memory of applause and the lingering scent of the audience hang in the air she waits in the last row.The power of his smile was bright like apron lights. The intensity of his gaze was as intoxicating as the excitement of any opening night. His words flowed smoothly like a well-crafted script and made her believe again. He had brought her back to life, rejuvenated her.“I didn’t mean to fall.” Softly...

“ Five Stages of Reflection ” by Katharine Widdows

DENIAL“I’m so sorry you came home to this nasty surprise. It’ll be wrong anyway – I’ll read it again in a minute, it’ll be wrong.”Bold eyes glare back at me as I sigh before them. They've had a long day and are almost as dark a blue as the tunic uniform in my wash basket. Will those eyes accept anything I say?“It was definitely addressed to me. How can it be wrong?”I let out a low sigh and drop my head.“It makes no sense. I haven’t done anything to cause this for decades. Why would they write to me about it now?”Decades. Entire decades. I've...

short stories and essays

Introducing Prompted , a new magazine written by you!

🏆 Featuring 12 prize-winning stories from our community. Download it now for FREE .

✍️ All stories

“ the tunnels ” by deborah sanders.

Bruce was spinning, both literally and figuratively. He was spinning at his desk in his office chair while his mind was spinning on overload. This year was turning into a disaster, a string of disappointments one after the other, bam, bam, BAM. He banged his pencil down hard, causing his notepad to slide along the desk, knocking a virtual reality headset to the ground where his sweatshirt softened its landing. Bruce glanced down at the headset and considered picking it up. It belonged to his brother who had annoyingly left it ...

“ Morals and Crosswalks ” by Fray Crowett

I don’t have bad days, but despite that, I was having an awful day.  I got stuck in traffic and my usual parking lot was full by the time I got there. Looking outside the parking lot I still couldn't find any parking near my work. And when I did find parking, it was 2 blocks away. This meant I had to walk from there just to get to work on time.  And worst of all, at the final crosswalk to get to my work, I was next to some old bat of a woman.  She has a tacky tan purse, a floral dress and a sun hat that is far too big. On top ...

“ The Greatest Story Never Told ” by Kevin Coffey

Prologue I have an apology to make to all writers, both living and those beyond the veil:I’m afraid that I’m the cause of Writer’s Block.Yes, I brought about that most wretched of conditions, most dreadful of all curses for a bard to suffer.I’m sorry.How? A curious (or furious) writer might ask.It all started as a promising, sensational idea. Then it became a curse: a story that can’t be told. In my view, a fate far worse than Writer’s Block.What story?THE story, that’s what.The greatest singular work in the history of writing; an idea more ...

“ And Now You're Dead and Going to Hell ” by Natalie Meador

“W—where am I?”           It was dark, so dark she couldn’t see an inch in front of her face.            She tried to move, but… She couldn’t move…she couldn’t feel…not her feet on the ground, not her ass in a chair, not her hair on her shoulders…or even the temperature of the air on her skin. She tried to speak but had no sensation of lips to move or articulate.            “But ...

“ The Weight of Glass ” by Alex Marmalade

Sam shoved the door open with his shoulder, the hinges squealing in protest. The communal recycling bins loomed in the corner of the car park, squat and unyielding, as if daring him to approach. A bitter December wind whipped around him, cutting through his thin hoodie and biting at his ears.The bag in his hand sagged ominously. A renegade wine bottle had already poked a hole in the side, and every step sent another tin can rattling closer to freedom. Sam sighed. “Hold it together, mate,” he muttered, not sure if he was talking to the bag or...

“ A Foreigner In My Country (أجنبي في بلدي) ” by Adam El Nabli

I can’t believe I’m standing here. I can’t believe I made it to the final stage. When I registered to take the exam, I didn’t think I stood a chance. Granted, I’m a good student, good with languages, good at the sciences. But, so were all the other students at the exam. Now I’m here in front of this private school, one of the top private schools in the region, only one day away from being offered a full scholarship to complete my last two years of school here. Then, who knows what this may bring me, my family. This could set us up for l...

“ Borrowed Consciousness ” by Niveadita Razdan

"I'm sorry for what I'm about to do, Dr. Chen." The message appeared at 3:17 AM, casting a sickly green glow across Sarah Chen's cluttered desk in MIT's Advanced Computing Lab. Her mother's porcelain teacup, still half-full of now-cold jasmine tea, reflected the text like a digital ghost. The delicate blue pattern on the cup – a gift from her father on their last anniversary before his death – seemed to ripple with each blink of the cursor. "What do you mean, ARIA?" Sarah's fingers trembled as they found the keys. In the fifteen months since...

“ Iron bar Motel ” by Trebor Mack

Write a story that starts and ends in the same place. Iron Bar Motel Slam!Johnny’s heels had no sooner cleared the doorway when the heavy metal frame slammed behind him. Standing outside, wearing an evil grin, the overweight police officer turned the key to the cell door with irritating slowness.“Righto, Curly, welcome to Peaceville’s Iron Bar Motel. If you go disturbing the peace in Peaceville, you won’t get much peace from me. Haha, pun intended, little man.”Earlier that evening, Johnny had got caught up in riotous celebrations following h...

“ Moon Pies ” by Austin Almanza

"I'm sorry." I said as I held her hand. I held her palm with both of mine, rubbing the back of her hand with my thumbs.She didn't look at me. Her stare was blank and expressionless, I couldn't tell if she were mad or upset. I knew I had hurt her though."Please, look at me. Please say something." I said.The television played in the background; no sound came from it. I wished I could've turned the volume all the way up so I wouldn't need to worry about anyone listening in on our conversation. Except, I didn't want to reach over her to grab the...

“ Love Story ” by Vee Medina

Love story This was supposed to be a love story. I had it all imagined, all planned. I knew how it would start; with accidental eye contact across a crowded space. They'd be so captivated that even after I glanced away they would continue to watch me. They wouldn't be able to get enough, they'd have to know more, but I'd leave and they'd wonder and think about me and maybe some time would go by and they'd start to forget about the stranger they saw across the space but then right as I began to fade from their thoughts they'd see me again, s...

“ The Letter ” by Laura Zientek

Jane had made it all the way to the door, her hand raised, before her body locked up and she couldn’t will it into motion.  She stood frozen, taking in the details of the door in front of her.  The brass knocker that no one really used.  The wreath still hanging despite the end of the holidays.  The blue paint craggy over the multiple coats layered on year after year.  She also noted the lack of camera assisted doorbell technology, thankful that no one would be witness to her indecision.  Time passed in a way th...

“ A Stranger to Me ” by Birdy Kay James

Ricarda dates the header of a new page in her journal, October 9th 1978. “Today, I met a man at the market. He was picking through the green chile peppers. I noticed him right away, his black hair danced in the breeze. The peppers he picked had a discoloration on the back that he didn’t see. When I told him he thanked me and I handed him 5 fresh ones. He asked my name and complimented my yellow dress. We walked together, holding hands. His thumb caressed my skin. Heat rose in my chest. We heard music playing from the balcony above us an...

“ Nightmares ” by Rudy Greene

My heart was pounding and sweat burned my eyes. There were 5 minutes left, and I had five questions left. This was not your typical multiple-choice exam, Each question required at least two paragraphs of analysis. I couldn’t possibly complete five analyses in five minutes. My chance of getting an ’A’ in the course was fading fast. I would never be accepted to Medical or Law school. Not that I cared about Law school but at least it was an alternative. I squirmed in my seat and wrote as fast as I could. Each time another student rose and hande...

The Best Fiction Short Stories

Short fiction stories are a fantastic way to access the literary world in compact, bite-sized reading sessions. The short story as we know it today began in the 19th century, when the increasing interest in print literary magazines led to many authors like Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens writing and publishing stories. Later, with the onset of modernism in the beginning of the 20th century, the fiction short story began to adopt more abstract forms, embracing ambiguity and inconclusivity. The later 20th century brought the increasing popularity of the short story as an artistic and literary undertaking. 

Short fiction stories span every imaginable genre. From literary fiction (the likes of which you’ll see published in The New Yorker ), to crime, fantasy, and romance stories, the form is remarkable for its versatility and adaptability.

Looking for fiction short stories to read?

On this page, you can read fiction short stories for free! These are stories that have been submitted to Reedsy’s weekly writing contest, with shortlisted or winning stories chosen by our judges appearing at the top of the page for your convenience. And if you're looking for more of the contest's best entries, make sure to claim your free copy of Prompted , our new literary magazine.

If you discover a writer whose work you really enjoy and admire, head over to their profile and click ‘Follow’ to keep up to date with their newest writing. They’ll appreciate it!

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Where to Find Free Short Stories Online

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Sarah Ullery

Sarah suffers from chronic sarcasm, and an unhealthy aversion to noise. She loves to read, and would like to do nothing else, but stupid real life makes her go to work. She lives in the middle of a cornfield and shares a house with two spoiled dogs and a ton of books.

View All posts by Sarah Ullery

Short stories are a great way to discover new writers, or sample different genres. There are classic short stories that you can read in less than an hour, but leave you feeling like a better reader for having read them. In a previous article , I mentioned that they’re also a great way to break a reading slump, and they can be compiled onto reading apps like Pocket . They’re a great companion on lunch breaks, planes, waiting in line, or when you’re bored at work (they can be easily concealed on a web browser or on your phone).

I spend too much money on books, so sometimes it’s nice to read free stuff, and the internet is not lacking in places to find great stories that are free to read on your computer, tablet, or phone. I’ve compiled 20 different websites where I regularly find free short stories.

short stories and essays

Narrative Magazine

Narrative Magazine is a free space for readers to enjoy some of the best short stories, essays, and poetry written by both established and emerging writers. They also have a series called “Tell Me a Story” , a high school essay writing contest that encourages young writers to submit essays responding to a single prompt. They’re a nonprofit, and do appreciate donations , but it’s completely voluntary. Find new stories from writers like Min Jin Lee, or classics like “ Death in the Woods ” by Sherwood Anderson. Narrative is a treasure trove.

The New Yorker

The New Yorker is “free” until you receive the pop-up message on your screen that says “you’ve hit the wall,” which means no more mooching; time to subscribe. And it’s totally worth it, but expensive, so if you’re cheap like me, choose the stories you read at The New Yorker wisely. But seriously, is there anything better than The New Yorker ? It’s totally worth subscribing.

Electric Literature

A great resource to find information about new books, old books, and upcoming books; Electric Literature is also a great place to find short stories. Their “recommended reading” section has great short stories; or you can find “poetry, essays, and graphic narratives” in “The Commuter.” Electric Literature is a nonprofit, and much like Narrative they work hard to promote new and emerging writers.

Wattpad is a reader/writer interface that allows people to easily access over three million different stories through their website, or by downloading the app. It’s also a great place to submit short stories if you’re interested in writing. The site is open to anyone, at any level of writing experience. If you’re more interested in reading than writing, topics range from adventure to teen fiction to fan fiction to poetry and horror. There’s a little bit of something for everyone.

Like The New Yorker , Granta is a literary magazine that limits the number of articles you can read free digitally. So choose wisely. But like The New Yorker , Granta publishes the best writing. In their own words: “ Granta  does not have a political or literary manifesto, but it does have a belief in the power and urgency of the story and its supreme ability to describe, illuminate and make real.” So basically, it’s worth the price if you’re willing to subscribe.

Tor.com is a fantasy/sci-fi website that  allows free access to short stories that are published on their website. One of my favorite Tor.com short stories is Rachel Swirsky’s “ A Memory of Wind “, which is about Iphigenia prior to Agamemnon’s sacrifice. You can also find stories from Seanan McGuire , Jonathan Carroll , Mary Robinette Kowal , and JY Yang (to name a few). This is consistently one of my favorite places to find new writers.

Lightspeed Magazine

Like Tor.com, Lightspeed is a digital magazine that publishes short stories by authors like Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, N.K. Jemisin, Ted Chiang, and Ken Liu. You can choose to subscribe for 12 months, which will get you access to over 100 short stories, plus you have access to author interviews, and other nonfiction content. But, if you’d rather dabble and choose not to subscribe, there’s still a ton of free content available.

American Short Fiction

A triannually published literary magazine that publishes short fiction by established and emerging writers; American Short Fiction has published Laura van den Berg and Roxane Gay. Many of their stories have appeared in the end-of-year collection The Best American Short Stories .

The Atlantic

The Atlantic is recognized for their journalism, but they also publish great short stories from well-established and emerging writers. You can access stories from the current issue of the magazine, or from their archives. I’d recommend Helen Phillips’s ( The Need and The Beautiful Bureaucrat ) short story “ The Wall .”

Project Gutenberg

The best source for public domain books, short stories, and poetry; Project Gutenberg boasts over 60,000 free ebooks. You don’t have to download any special apps to read their content; the books or short stories will download to whatever you use to read other digital books.

Guernica is a nonprofit digital magazine that publishes just about everything from poetry to fiction, comics, interviews, and essays. You will inevitably find something wonderful to read from Guernica.

Joyland Magazine

It you’re from a specific region of the United States that you think is underrepresented within the publishing industry, Joyland would be a perfect place to start hunting for stories from writers from all over the country. The magazine splits their stories into regions, so there’s stories from: New York, the Pacific Northwest (PNW), the South, the Midwest, the West, and Canada. Writers like Roxane Gay, Ottessa Moshfegh, and Lydia Millet, have all had stories published by Joyland .

Terraform (from Vice ) publishes science fiction short stories. They argue that, although science fiction is very popular in TV and movies “there’s a distinct dearth of science fiction in its purest, arguably its original, form—short fiction.” So if you’re nostalgic for the science fiction of yesteryear, try Terraform .

Paper Darts

Paper Darts is a “magazine of LIT + ART fueled by volunteers and imaginary money since 2009.” They also have great, original short stories, and you should read the stories that they offer free online, but if you can, you should also buy the print copy of the magazine.

Midnight Breakfast

Midnight Breakfast is a free online literary magazine that publishes short stories, essays, and nonfiction. They publish stories and ideas from diverse voices and are looking to “spark conversation” with “good friends over greasy food.” So if this at all intrigues you, check out their very eclectic catalogue of free stories.

Virginia Quarterly Review

Virginia Quarterly Review publishes criticism, poetry, photography, and fiction (short stories). The current most popular short story on their website is Stephen King’s “ Cookie Jar .” The fall issue of the print magazine is “Bedtime Stories” and is all about childhood stories, why they’re important, and how they shape our lives. They also have a profile of Oliver Jeffers, the author of numerous award winning picture books. So, basically, if you’re looking for something beyond fiction, they’ve gotcha covered.

Paris Review

The Paris Review ‘s Instagram account is one of my favorite things:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Paris Review (@parisreview)

A constant source of wisdom and solace, the magazine boasts the writing of the creme de la creme of the literary world. You can read short stories online, listen to their podcast (which also features short stories read by the author), or if you want to shell out a few bucks, you can purchase the current issue for $20.

Kenyon Review

Kenyon Review is a “multi-platform organization” with fiction, reviews, poetry, and essays available in their print magazine (six issues released per year), at KROnline, or KR Reviews. If you’re looking for short stories you can read free online, you’ll want to stick with KROnline , which has both new and archived stories available for your perusal.

Classic Short Stories

If you’re just looking for the classics, and you want a really simple, user- friendly experience, try the website Classic Short Stories . They have stories from authors like George Saunders, Katherine Mansfield, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Unlike some of the other publications and websites I’ve listed, everything is available for free.

Levar Burton Reads

I grew up listening to Levar Burton read on Reading Rainbow . His voice is a balm to my soul. He could read the phone book to me and I would be enamored, but the stories he picks for his podcast are always the best stories from the best writers. This season he’s read Samantha Schweblin, Ted Chiang, and N.K. Jemisin. So if you’d rather listen to short stories during your commute or while you run or do chores around the house, try Levar Burton Reads .

Need more? Try 18 Great Short Stories You Can Read Free Online , 4 Must-Read Dark Fiction Magazines , and  Literary Magazines 101

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The Most Read Books on Goodreads in 2024

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Electric Lit’s Best Short Story Collections of 2024

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Reading Lists

Books by gina chung, pemi aguda, and lena valencia highlight a year of celebrated short story collections.

Short story book covers

It may come as no surprise that we absolutely love a good short story. When you sit down with an all-consuming piece of writing, whirl through it from beginning to end in one sitting, and come out the other side transformed in only a few pages—that experience is something like magic. 

Another experience that’s something like magic? Discovering a new writer you can’t wait to follow throughout their career. Combine both of those feelings, and you get this year’s best short story collections: every—yes, every —short story collection on our top five list this year was a debut, as were several of our honorable mentions. How lucky for all of us, because it means talented, exciting writers are entering the scene, and we can look forward to following them throughout the years. These books are master classes in the art of the short story, full of unputdownable writing that you won’t easily forget. We hope you love them as much as we did.

The books included on this list were chosen by a vote from the EL community. Here are Electric Lit’s Top 5 short story collections of 2024, followed by the best short story collections of the year.

The Top 5 Short Story Collections of the Year:

Green frog by gina chung.

This masterfully inventive collection weaves literary fiction, Korean folklore, and science fiction elements into deeply revelatory narratives that reframe how readers contemplate the human condition. Through explorations of Korean American womanhood, transformation, fate, and legacy, Gina Chung proves in this debut her mastery over thoughtful precision. Equal parts entertaining and emotionally riveting, these stories will stay with you long after you’ve read them. Find “ Presence ,” one of the brilliant stories from the collection, published in Recommended Reading .

Ghostroots by ‘Pemi Aguda

In the first story of Ghostroots , a woman wonders if she’s destined to perpetuate the same evils as her deceased grandmother, with whom she shares an uncanny resemblance. Setting the rest of the collection in motion, Aguda’s stories ask: are we fated to the violence passed down from our ancestors? Or is freedom from our generational ties possible? Through elegant prose that threads together the strange, the supernatural, and the ordinary, each story finds new ways to haunt you long after you’ve read them.

Mystery Lights by Lena Valencia

Through explorations of the supernatural and the mundane, Lena Valencia’s debut collection wrestles with the unsettling horrors of womanhood. As haunting as they are enlightening, these stories interrogate deception, self-deception, and existential dread against the backdrop of the Southwestern desert. Valencia’s tales exhibit subversion at its finest. Find our interview with the One Story managing editor about her collection here, as well as a story from the collection published in Recommended Reading .

Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil by Ananda Lima

This electrifying collection of interconnected stories opens on a young Brazilian writer who meets and sleeps with the Devil at a Halloween party. After their encounter, the writer keeps in touch with the Devil and writes him a series of haunted stories—the very same stories that make up the remaining pages of Craft . When unfolded, the layers of this frame narrative form an innovative, eclectic patchwork. Lima’s prose is at once claustrophobic and yet startlingly intimate, marking her impressive fiction debut.

Women! In! Peril! by Jessie Ren Marshall

Traversing through stories both speculative and realistic, Marshall’s debut collection interrogates queerness, Asian and Asian American identity, and womanhood through the lives of twelve women. Packed with wry humor and sharp social commentary, Marshall’s stories prove ferocious. Check out our interview with the author, where she discusses defying societal norms through Women! In! Peril!

Electric Lit’s Additional Favorite Short Story Collections

Beautiful days: stories by zach williams.

This daring debut book ventures to lift the folds of reality and probe the depths of the surreal, the menacing, and the absurd. The understated precision of Zach Williams’ prose allows these stories to exist in a captivating liminal realm, hovering between a dream and a nightmare.

Bugsy & Other Stories by Rafael Frumkin

This collection of six longer stories examines themes of taboo, neurodiversity , and sexuality with a vibrant pen. Frumkin’s ability to stare directly at the strange and the subversive creates a whirlwind, mesmerizing reading journey into these surreal new worlds.

Choose This Now by Nicole Haroutunian

This genre-defying kaleidoscope of a book follows best friends Val and Tal—and the women that orbit around them—following a rattling incident at a Halloween party. Haroutunian’s witty, pulsating prose draws the reader into this beautifully rendered world.

Concerning the Future of Souls by Joy Williams

Joy Williams probes the depths of the surreal and the fleeting in this collection of ninety-nine bite-sized stories. Her fiction moves in associative, ungovernable leaps between topics as disparate as religion, psychoanalysis, art, and literature. Williams draws from her background as the daughter of a minister to craft the overarching narrative that corrals these fragments: the tale of Azrael, an angel who is ambivalent about his job collecting souls. Her prose is sparse, clear-eyed, and sharply observant, inviting the reader to immerse themselves in her fantastical micro-worlds.

Diversity Quota by Ranjan Adiga

Ranjan Adiga constructs unique narratives centered around the Nepali diaspora and characters who struggle toward upward mobility. Adiga blurs the line of the traditional immigrant narrative, questioning assumptions around race, class, and gender. His tightly focused style and expert plotting make each short story a treat to receive, even when immersed in uncomfortable themes.

I’ll Give You a Reason by Annell López

The stories in Annell López’s debut collection offer a rare sensitivity. While confronting the hard truths of Dominican immigrant life in Ironbound, Newark, López’s prose is simultaneously delicate and methodical. Through seventeen stories, López’s honesty inspires resilience in an unforgiving world.

A Kind of Madness by Uché Okonkwo

Okonkwo’s debut book showcases some of the best qualities of short fiction: immersive world-building, taut suspense, and endings that leave you questioning. Her stories pay close attention to the concerns of relationships of women and girls in modern-day Nigeria . The sparse but unflinching prose bears witness to Okonkwo’s masterful blending of African and western literary sensibilities. Her stories are tense from beginning to end, full of turmoil, and always deeply human.

Kurdistan +100: Stories from a Future State edited by Orsola Casagrande and Mustafa Gündoğdu

Republished in 2024 by Deep Vellum, Kurdistan +100: Stories from a Future State imagines a freer future for Kurds, one that sees independence as a possibility by 2046 — a century after Kurds last had independence through the Kurdish Republic of Mahabad. Exploring subjects such as eco-activism, drone warfare, and retroactive social justice, this anthology of stories writes against the boundaries of what’s possible.

Mouth by Puloma Ghosh

In her debut collection, Puloma Ghosh blurs the line between the real and the absurd to explore our most fanged and aching desires. Through contemplations on sexuality, the body, isolation, and longing, Ghosh’s stories blend genre and literary fiction in eleven eerie, yet elegant stories.

Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver

Diane Oliver, the author of Neighbors and Other Stories , died in 1966 at the age of 22. With the posthumous release of her collection, these stories explore race and racism in the mid twentieth century. Intimate, precise, and chilling, her stories prove timeless.

Ninetails: Nine Tales by Sally Wen Mao

Sally Wen Mao’s fierce collection reimagines the nine-tailed fox spirit of Asian folklore. With vibrant, lyrical prose, Ninetails inspires hope as its characters search for truth and belonging in a world so determined to be difficult.

Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri, translated by Todd Portnowitz

Since Lahiri’s 2015 commitment to only writing in Italian, her short fiction has taken on a fresh, clear-eyed mode when translated into English. This collection is no different, circling its lens around Italian characters—often interlopers or migrants—who observe the world from a cool distance. These vignettes drip with delicacy and tension, an impressive display of Lahiri’s signature style.

Sad Grownups by Amy Stuber

In her debut collection, Amy Stuber writes toward hope in a world intent on taking it away. Confronting American consumerism, narrow versions of acceptability, and the worsening climate crisis, Stuber’s writing exhibits sensitivity, urgency, and care. With stories full of clarity and hilarity, the stories in Sad Grownups showcase the true strength of the short story form .

Sluts: Anthology edited by Michelle Tea

Edited by Michelle Tea, Sluts: Anthology is a multi-authored collection celebrating queer pleasure and connection. The anthology explores what it means to be sexually promiscuous in contemporary American culture, with cathartic entries from writers Gabrielle Korn, Jeremy Atherton Lin, Brontez Purnell, and many more.

Softie by Megan Howell

These striking, spunky, unforgettable short stories center around women and girls on the cusp of change, often just an arm’s reach away from some kind of freedom. Megan Howell has an unrelenting voice and constructs taut narratives that wind both reader and characters into a spiral of worry. Her debut collection is sure to both dazzle and haunt.

Some Soul to Keep: A Short Story Collection by J. California Cooper

The reissue of this little-known classic by J. California Cooper has been eagerly anticipated by her devotees since her passing in 2014. Cooper’s prose stylings are most often compared to other authors from the Black literary folk tradition like Zora Neale Hurston, but the tender closeness of her narration is uniquely Cooper. These five “long-short stories,” as Cooper calls them, pay intimate attention to the concerns of Black women in rural areas, especially their familial, romantic, and community ties.

A Sunny Place for Shady People by Mariana Enríquez, translated by Megan McDowell

The queen of short horror returns with her third story collection to be translated into English, giving us a return to her usual ghostly themes but with plenty of new tricks up her sleeve. Here, Enríquez shows off her knack for rendering body horror, her affinity for neo-noir aesthetics, and her empathy for the tragedies of the mundane.

There Is a Rio Grande in Heaven: Stories by Ruben Reyes Jr.

This slick, stylish debut traces a thread from El Salvador to the United States, interrogating the familial and migratory challenges of Salvadoran diaspora members. Reyes’s observant eye is piercing and unrelenting as he unfolds these poignant, sobering stories.

There Will Never Be Another Night Like This by John Salter

The protagonists of these stories are frequently spiraling out of control or breaking their own hearts, and always rendered in vibrant technicolor. John Salter has mastered the art of giving the reader just enough information and then upending his own carefully constructed world with a devastating revelation. The resulting collection has a fitful, roiling momentum that does not let up until the final page. Salter has a knack for realistic dialogue and a sharp eye for the tragedies of the everyday.

Your Utopia by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur

These fascinating, technology-soaked stories take readers to outer space, unrecognizable futures, and brand-new realms. Chung excavates the loneliness and grief at the heart of each imagined utopia with her singular narrative voice and astounding imagination.

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100 Great Short Stories

Okay, I lied. There are so many great short stories that I was unable to trim the list to 100 titles; so here are 160 Great Short Stories for you to enjoy. Click a button to find the best short stories from the authors below. We also have a great collection of Short Stories for Students and a library full of Children's Stories .

The Boy And The Filberts The Night Came Slowly One Summer Night The Coming of the King A Blunder Ex Oblivione Fat And Thin Hearts And Hands Amy's Question My Financial Career The Aged Mother Hermann The Irascible The Man in the Brown Coat The Death Of A Government Clerk The Father The Little Match Girl Louisa May Alcott: A Child's Biography The Terrible Old Man A Vine on a House The Open Window Witches' Loaves The Cats of Ulthar Mark Twain: A Child's Biography The Romance of a Busy Broker A Dead Woman's Secret A Chameleon A Respectable Woman On The Day of the Crucifixion The Dreamer Henry David Thoreau: A Child's Biography The Student The Unkindest Blow The Night Moth With a Crooked Feeler Alexandre The Thorny Road of Honor The Vendetta The Looking Glass The Selfish Giant Vanka The Merino Sheep A Duel The Cripple A Defensive Diamond The Wolves of Cernogatz The Child's Story Esme The Yarkand Manner The Diary of a Madman What Christmas Is As We Grow Older The Disappearance of Crispina Umberleigh The Schartz-Metterklume Method A Baby Tramp The Boarded Window Sredni Vashtar The Man In The Moon Eveline The Veteran The Log The Huntsman An Alpine Divorce A Defenseless Creature What You Want A Cosmopolite in a Cafe A Holiday Task The Model Millionaire Bertie's Christmas Eve The Colonel's Ideas The Tell-Tale Heart Transients in Arcadia Gentle Hand Jim Baker's Blue-Jay Yarn Jimmy Scarecrow's Christmas The Sphinx Without a Secret The Hand A Lickpenny Lover The Interlopers How the Leopard Got His Spots Two Friends A True Story, Repeated Word for Word As I Heard It The Lumber Room Babes in the Jungle The Unrest-Cure After the Race The Last Dream of Old Oak Springtime a la Carte Hyacinth According to Their Lights How I Edited an Agricultural Paper The Fly The Princess And The Puma The Striding Place The Nightingale and the Rose The Cop and the Anthem Federigo's Falcon The Masque of the Red Death The Mockingbird The Notary of Perigueux A Telephone Call Hands The Last Leaf The Cask of Amontillado Gabriel-Ernest The Way to the Dairy A Father's Confession The Furnished Room Chickamauga A Horseman in the Sky The McWilliamses And The Burglar Alarm Aloha Oe The Shoemaker And The Devil How the Widow Won the Deacon The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County A School Story The Necklace A Retrieved Reformation The Bet The Doll's House Christmas Every Day Turkeys Turning The Tables The Last Fight In The Coliseum The Story of Keesh The Nice People The Affair at Coulter's Notch The Laughing Hippopotamus Berenice The Picture in the House One Autumn Night Pigs Is Pigs The Shed Chamber The Happy Prince Keeping Watch Skeleton Lake: An Episode in Camp The Moonlit Road The Alchemist "Girl" The Pimienta Pancakes The Enchanted Bluff Two Gallants The Old Man of the Sea Man From The South The Olive The Velveteen Rabbit Miggles A Hunger Artist The Tomb The Wind's Tale The Girl Who Got Rattled The Ransom of Red Chief Extracts from Adam's Diary Gooseberries "His Wife's Deceased Sister" The Star Gentlemen: The King! The Egg Mademoiselle Fifi The Namesake The Hungry Stones A Call The Darling A Little Cloud

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7 best places to read short stories online for free.

Looking for a quick read online? Below, you’ll find our favorite websites to read short stories on.

If you’re reading this post, high chances are you’ve been browsing through Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or Reddit for the past half an hour or so.

You’d probably like to do something more productive with your time – read a book, for example – but you just don’t have enough time on your hands to commit to a weighty 400-page novel.

But what if there’s another way?

The answer is simple: short stories . Short stories that can addict, engross, and absorb just like a novel can – but in the timespan of one morning commute or a relaxing bath.

And there are plenty of places to find high-quality quick reads online, often for free. Some websites even have iOS apps to read on, making the reading experience even easier.

Scroll down to find out which short story websites made the cut.

Why are short stories a great read?

Having not enough time to commit to reading a weighty tome is one of the major reasons why so many people ditch books.

But little do they know a well-written short story will make them feel the same thrill, experience the same attachment to the characters and spark as much love for reading as a normal book would.

You can read them whenever and wherever you want – on a commute back home from work, during an evening bath, in the waiting room at the dentist.

Need more reasons to reach for a short story? We’ve got a handy list with the  benefits of short stories .

7 best sites where you can read short stories

1. electric literature.

Electric Literature - read short stories online for free

One of the most popular websites to read short stories on, Electric Literature is a nonprofit digital publisher focused on unveiling elevating new voices. Their interest lays primarily in writing that operates at the intersection of different cultures, genres, and media.

Everything published by Electric Literature is available to read online for free. However, as a small, independent non-profit, they strongly rely on the readers’ financial support, so donations are more than welcome.

There is also a ‘membership’ option – a recurring monthly donation of $4 or more. Members of Electric Literature get some special pros, such as monthly ebook samplings, a “Writing Well is the Best Revenge” tote bag, and more.

In addition to essays, criticism, and literary news, Electric Literature publishes one short story every Wednesday with a personal recommendation by selected top writers and editors.

A short story can be submitted by anyone through Submittable, as long as it meets specific criteria described on the website. It is later reviewed by Electric Literature editors and, if chosen, the author is paid and their work published. As of today, there are about 380 short stories on their website.

2. The New Yorker

The New Yorker - best sites to read short stories online

The New Yorker has always played an integral role in the history of serious American fiction. Ever since the publication of “Short Stories from The New Yorker” in 1940, the magazine became one of the most renowned première venues for short fiction, having literary legends such as Nabokov, Murakami, Atwood, Salinger or Fitzgerald grace its pages.

Today, The New Yorker publishes only one story per issue, devoting one issue per year to new fiction. Stories can be sent by anyone using the magazine’s online submission form. While usually gravitating towards already established writers, The New Yorker sometimes takes a chance on fairly experimental ones.

Without a subscription, users can enjoy the home page, section pages, the video hub, Goings On About Town listings, and six full articles per month. They can also download the New Yorker Today app for free, and browse a couple of articles before asked to subscribe.

With a subscription, however, they are given unlimited access to the entirety of New Yorker ‘s content, such as:

▸ Unlimited browsing and access to articles on both the New Yorker website and The New Yorker Today iOS app (not just articles, but also cartoons, journalism, and much more)

▸ Flash fiction, podcasts, and short stories (often with a podcast of the author reading it aloud)

▸ Every issue of the magazine since its founding in 1925 in a digital-replica format at archives.newyorker.com (including all short stories)

▸ Every story published for the magazine since 2007 in standard Web format (including all short stories)

The pricing is surprisingly low, standing at $12 for 12 weeks of a Print and Digital subscription. As a welcome gift, new subscribers also receive a free tote bag.

3. Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg - read classic short stories online free

One of the most popular choices for free short stories online, Project Gutenberg is a digital library of over 60,000 free eBooks, available in both epub and Kindle eBooks formats.

Comprising primarily older works for which U.S. copyright has expired, Project Gutenberg has the biggest variety of book categories to choose from, including children’s literature, fiction, crime, specialized nonfiction, and many more.

The service also offers books in other languages, such as Chinese, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, and many more.

As a volunteer initiative, Project Gutenberg is 100% free and does not require registration or a subscription. The home page includes a link to a donation page, but it is not necessary to donate to access the website’s content.

4. Fictionaut

Fictionaut - the best short stories online

Fictionaut is a vibrant literary community designed specifically for short fiction and poetry. It is a friendly creative hub that enables users to discover new authors, publish their own works, get feedback and connect with others.

As a website still in development, Fictionaut is currently invite-only – meaning that only those who have received an invitation can log in, comment, and publish.

Non-members can, however, read all short stories and poetry for free – and there are over 15,000 works to choose from already.

Wattpad - best sites to read short stories free

Wattpad is an online community for readers and writers alike. With over 70 million members (including Margaret Atwood, Paulo Coelho, and R L Stine) and stories in 50 different languages, it is the most popular social storytelling platform on the Internet.

Some of the most popular short story categories include fiction, poetry, fan-fiction, spiritual, humor, and teen fiction.

To browse on the website, you have to create a free account. All the services – such as publishing own works, reading and commenting on other people’s work, the iOS app, and many others – are entirely free to use, since Wattpad earns money through advertising.

There is also a Premium plan that gives some special options such as exclusive theme colors or no ads, but it is not required to use the app in its fullest nor to promote Premium users’ content over others.

With over 565 million free stories available, there are plenty of content users can choose from. Anyone is welcome to publish their original work, but that does not equal bad writing.

On the contrary; Wattpad writers have proven to be extremely popular outside the site as well, with some getting deals from well-known publishing houses such as Random House and Harper Collins, and Beth Reekles’ short story The Kissing Booth being turned into an incredibly popular Netflix adaptation.

So if you’re an aspiring writer or a good-read-hungry book lover, you should definitely give Wattpad a go.

6. 3:AM Magazine

3:AM Magazine - short stories online

3:AM Magazine is a literary webzine created by Sorbonne lecturer Andrew Gallix. It features literary criticism, nonfiction essays, original fiction, poetry, and interviews with leading writers and philosophers.

Well-known for its “blunt, funny, and angrily academic” content, 3:AM focuses primarily on sharp and savvy avant-garde reads.

All content is entirely free to read, and it is not required to log in. Anyone can send a short story submission, but only some are selected by the editing team.

Inkitt - short stories to read online

This beautifully designed website (and an equally sleek iOS app) was created for the users to upload excerpts of fictional works in progress or entire short stories to connect them with readers to provide feedback.

But most importantly, it is also a publishing house that selects authors to collaborate with through algorithms. “We analyze reader behavior, analyze their engagement,” Inkitt founder Ali Albazaz tells TechCrunch.

“If they start reading and stay up all night to continue reading, if they use every break during the day to continue reading your story, we look at this reader behavior to see if a book is good or not good”.

And the algorithm seems to work. To date, the company has published 24 books, of which 22 have become Amazon bestsellers.

As of today, the Inkitt community has 1.6 million readers, 110,000 writers, and some 350,000 stories.

Don’t stop exploring. Here are other popular lists to enjoy:

  • Here are the 12 best iPhone case covers for book lovers In this updated overview, you’ll see gorgeous iPhone covers that will remind you of the joy of reading books anywhere, […]
  • 20 bookworm gifts for every occasion in 2024 Don’t look for mainstream gifts for bookworms everyone likes and recommends. The book lover in your life is too exceptional […]
  • 16 best bookish decorations and ornaments for the 2024 season These little decorations and ornaments are perfect to bring the joy of reading to Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other festive […]
  • 14 best e-reader accessories for the ultimate reading pleasure (2024 season) Check out these innovative and clever accessories that you may need for your e-reader more than a case cover. Compatible […]

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Once upon a time, there was a man named Jack Gilbert, who was not related to me – unfortunately for me. 

Jack Gilbert was a great poet, but if you’ve never heard of him, don’t worry about it. It’s not your fault. He never much cared about being known. But I knew about him, and I loved him dearly from a respectful distance, so let me tell you about him.

Jack Gilbert was born in Pittsburgh in 1925 and grew up in the midst of that city’s smoke, noise, and industry. He worked in factories and steel mills as a young man, but was called from an early age to write poetry. He answered the call without hesitation. He became a poet the way other men become monks: as a devotional practice, as an act of love, and as a lifelong commitment to the search for grace and transcendence. I think this is probably a very good way to become a poet. Or to become anything, really, that calls to your heart and brings you to life.

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