What are some good plot ideas for a short story?

A time - travel plot could be interesting. A character finds an old watch that transports them back to a significant moment in history, like the signing of an important treaty. There, they face a dilemma: whether to interfere with the events or let history take its course. This creates tension and a moral quandary that can be explored within the short story.

A time - travel plot where a character accidentally travels back to a significant moment in history and has to figure out how to return while not changing the course of events too much.

One idea could be a story about a young artist who discovers a magical paintbrush that brings his paintings to life. He then has to deal with the chaos that ensues as the living paintings start to interact with the real world in unexpected ways.

A story about a person who gains the ability to read minds but realizes it's not as great as it seems. They struggle with the burden of knowing everyone's secrets and the isolation it brings.

You could write about a time-travel adventure or a mysterious encounter in a forest.

You could write about a magical adventure in a hidden forest. Maybe a character stumbles upon a secret portal and has all kinds of wild experiences.

You could write about a magical adventure in a hidden forest. Maybe a character discovers a secret portal and meets strange creatures.

In the story of the lonely artist, a plot twist could be that the living paintings were actually created by a rival artist who wanted to drive him crazy. But instead, it inspired him. And in the end, the rival artist realizes his mistake and they end up collaborating.

A story about a shy artist who finds that their paintings come to life at night. They then have to deal with the chaos and wonder that these living artworks bring, while also learning about themselves in the process. This could involve the artist trying to keep the secret from the outside world, forming relationships with the living paintings, and facing the consequences when the secret starts to leak.

There are two friends, one is a very successful businessperson and the other is an aspiring writer who is constantly struggling. The successful friend offers to help the writer by funding their next project. But in return, they want the writer to include some ideas that the businessperson believes will make the book more marketable. This causes a conflict between the friends as the writer wants to stay true to their artistic vision while the businessperson wants a return on their investment. The story can explore how they resolve this conflict and whether their friendship survives.