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
Aletta, a celebrated travelling violinist, believes her treasured instrument is the source of her gift. When an accident destroys the violin, she is devastated and fears she has lost her identity and talent forever. With the support of her mother and a kind trader named Hai, she learns that true artistry comes from the musician, not the instrument, and finds hope, healing, and love.
Abdullah Iqbal
It is a short psychoanalytic story about a man experiencing a series of psychological crises, and how a toothache becomes his companion, relieving him of his greater pain. The question arises: how can unbearable toothache be an escape from other pain, and how can pain become this man's friend? We will then observe the blossoming in his life.
competition
A poetical meeting of all ratkind to discuss their social standing.
Amy J Richardson-Clemmit
A poem featuring the prompt, "Bloom"
He was waiting for a bus. She was waiting to be noticed.
Austin thought the apocalypse was bad. But this was so much worse. One mistake, and the course of humanity would be altered forever. The crystal bloom would destroy everything. Everyone.
A poem featuring the prompt "bloom" It is about a teen girl battling with depression and finding hope in the flowers.
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Popular this week
What happens when you feel stuck? What makes it worse the cage or that you are your own captor? Would you fly or sink into familiarity? I guess you won't ever know until you try
The girl on the meadow wonders about life and asks questions about her feelings. She and her friends — the eagle, the owl and later the hedgehog are enjoying the scenario of the beautiful nature and explore deep but understandable topics about life. Through the dialogue girl will come to a realisation.
“Well, if we’re going to die, we might as well get drunk.”
Isabel Sofia Pias Diaz
It's 1982 in Edinburgh and a painting thought to be a worthless copy turns out to be a genuine Van Gogh that was assumed to have been destroyed in World War Two! Two antiques dealers who are more used to dealing in Victorian candelabra than eight-figure priceless art have a task on their hands: can they make the trade of the century and get set up for life, or will they lose their nerve and face professional embarrassment in front of the cream of the international art scene? David meets Goliath.
James PaulA poem featuring the prompt, "Bloom"
Bloom has always had an obsession with attaining the perfect body, but how far will she go?
The Clifford family move to a rural house with a field out back, ready to start a new life. Over the course of a year, Martin Clifford becomes increasingly unsettled by what he sees growing in the field during the spring months. When their daughter Sophie starts seeing things, Martin goes to investigate, something he may soon regret.
To impress my crush, Chloe, I bought a giant Monstera plant. It sat like a disappointed bailiff for months, then suddenly exploded on Tuesday morning—viciously capsizing and dumping black mud all over my landlord’s carpet. At that exact second, Chloe texted to say she was outside. I stood there covered in soil and toothpaste, completely doomed. Then, the doorbell rang...
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This is all about attie I created a story that is fiction about atties life.
Listen & enjoy
Looking back on the past.
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
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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