A home for literary fiction
Discover handpicked fiction from emerging writers. Every story is reviewed by humans. Reading is always free.
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Writers publishing work they're most proud of, an editor reading every submission with care, and readers around the world finding stories they didn't know they needed.
Common questions
Everything you need to know about reading and writing short stories on StorySloth.
StorySloth is a free platform for reading and publishing original short stories. Every story is written by an independent author and reviewed by a human before publication.
Yes, completely free. Every story on StorySloth can be read without creating an account or paying anything. We believe great fiction should be accessible to everyone.
We feature short stories across all genres including literary fiction, horror, romance, science fiction, mystery, fantasy, thriller, comedy, drama, and many more. You can browse by genre, tone, audience, or format.
Sign up for free, become an author, and use our built-in editor to write and submit your story. Every submission goes through human review before publication. There are no fees to publish.
Readers can voluntarily "Adopt a Sloth" — a subscription that quietly rewards authors based on how much their stories are read. Verified authors receive monthly payouts.
Stories range from flash fiction (under 1,000 words) to longer short stories (up to 10,000 words). Most can be read in 5 to 20 minutes — perfect for a commute, a lunch break, or bedtime reading.
Have more questions? Visit our full FAQ or get in touch.
For writers
Publish for free, get reviewed by humans, and earn when Sloths read your work. No fees, no gatekeepers — just your words finding their audience.
Fresh off the press
Having already become quite familiar with being banished from the classroom for even minor infractions, I simply got up, left the room, crossed the corridor into the cloakroom, and sat on the bench beneath my windcheater. I was now at least safe to let out the deep sigh that my teacher had once described as “huffing and puffing”.
A deity sent to Earth to provide flowers and plants grows disillusioned with his job.
“The Gardener of Past Lives” touches the wounds haunting the carefully staged American suburban home of an Indian immigrant family. A daughter fades away as a mother sits with her own siblings around the kitchen table, while the father cultivates a garden worthy of his childhood envy.
My entry for the Story Sloth "Bloom" competition. Inspired by the words different languages have for these things to do with flowers as well as the impreciseness of their translation into English.
A sci-fi dream, or nightmare? Read and decide ...
The height of the summer of love, but already changes were on their way. A young girl is grappling with guilt at the death of another girl. Her boyfriend tells her it's not her fault, but if that is true why is he quick to enlist and go to Vietnam. Trying to make sense of it, yet knowing she is responsible and a price has to be paid.
Longing children get a second chance at life, love and family, but for how long?
Amy J Richardson-Clemmit
Here they’d etched their love, months before their lips uttered the words.
Collette NightCompete & win
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A deity sent to Earth to provide flowers and plants grows disillusioned with his job.
Having already become quite familiar with being banished from the classroom for even minor infractions, I simply got up, left the room, crossed the corridor into the cloakroom, and sat on the bench beneath my windcheater. I was now at least safe to let out the deep sigh that my teacher had once described as “huffing and puffing”.
“The Gardener of Past Lives” touches the wounds haunting the carefully staged American suburban home of an Indian immigrant family. A daughter fades away as a mother sits with her own siblings around the kitchen table, while the father cultivates a garden worthy of his childhood envy.
Mum has hidden talents.
What if there is no tree?
RjS
Sometimes the most beautiful memories are not created in grand places, but in ordinary bus stops filled with strangers, tiny conversations, silent prayers, and unnoticed moments. This is a small journey through everyday life - where simple observations slowly turned into unforgettable memories 💛.
There were beautiful pebbles on this beach once…
Amy J Richardson-Clemmit
It takes just a moment for a woman to become a mother; it is a journey for a woman to bloom into motherhood.
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Mother and son wanting to stay together forever might have to leave eachother.
Listen & enjoy
My entry for the Story Sloth "Bloom" competition. Inspired by the words different languages have for these things to do with flowers as well as the impreciseness of their translation into English.
Longing children get a second chance at life, love and family, but for how long?
Amy J Richardson-Clemmit
A change of heart
A back garden, a clammy day, screeching children. Would it be so bad to think this…?
Amy J Richardson-Clemmit
Looking back on the past.
There were beautiful pebbles on this beach once…
Amy J Richardson-Clemmit
The feeling of looking in from the outside in.
It takes just a moment for a woman to become a mother; it is a journey for a woman to bloom into motherhood.
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