Where to Read Short Stories Online for Free

Are you a big fan of short stories?

Does the idea of reading a long book seem far too daunting to you, but you’d still like to learn about other stories and find new authors? Then you need to find where you can read short stories online for free.

Doing so can give you an experience that meets all your storytelling needs. You can find a story to read, often for free. You can enjoy it for as long as you like without having to invest in the whole book.

Read on to learn a few of your best options for reading short stories online.

Fiction Press

Fiction Press is a fantastic resource for readers to find and access short stories for free. It’s an online platform that allows users to discover stories written by authors from all around the world. These stories range from genres such as fantasy and science fiction to romance and detective stories.

One of the great aspects of Fiction Press is its free access to read short stories online. Whether you’re an avid reader, an aspiring author, or an occasional reader, you’ll find something to enjoy on Fiction Press. You can look through their library and take your pick, or you can use the search feature to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Wattpad

With Wattpad, readers can explore a wide range of genres, from romance and fantasy to horror and science fiction. No matter what their preferred genre is, readers can find stories to suit their tastes.

Wattpad also provides a platform for authors to self-publish their stories for free, allowing them to be read by an even wider audience. Additionally, Wattpad provides helpful tools and resources to help authors promote their work and build a fanbase. 

Project Gutenberg

It is an organization that seeks to archive books and literature from around the world in digital form. They have 850,000 free eBooks in more than 60 languages and are updating and growing the collection.

Project Gutenberg has been around since the early 1970s and is a great way to find classic books that would otherwise be forgotten or ignored. People can access thousands of classic stories and authors through Project Gutenberg, without spending a cent. 

Lit2Go

Lit2Go is a repository filled with over 4,000 public-domain free short stories, poems, and plays from classic authors, such as Shakespeare, Poe, and Dickinson. The stories are available in many formats–eBook, PDF, and MP3 to make it easy for readers to enjoy the stories.

The website also has basic information about each author, as well as “about” pages for each story, with study questions and related resources. Besides, users can also view a page of biographies of classic authors, with links to their work on Lit2Go.

Barnes and Noble Short Stories

Barnes and Noble Short Stories offer a great way to educate and entertain yourself at the same time. The stories are available in many genres and cater to a wide variety of interests.

Additionally, readers can choose to create an account to keep track of their reading activity, comment on stories, and receive notifications when extra stories become available. The reading experience is also enhanced with illustrations and audio clips to bring the stories to life. 

Library of the World’s Best

With access to a library of thousands of stories of all genres and lengths, the Library of the World’s Best is a great resource for those who strive to meet their short story cravings. Its choice of fiction ranges from Sci-Fi to Romance and from Historical to Fantasy, making it a wonderful tool for those who seek to explore different writing styles, contexts, and worlds.

Additionally, readers can take a look at some of its collections to find genres such as Thrillers, Classics, and Adventure, also to its free daily short story releases. Conveniently, readers can browse stories by genre, author, length, language, and setting, making it the perfect spot to search for a unique literary experience.

Story Jumper

With Story Jumper, you can create your own stories, draw illustrations to go with them, and even make your own animated books. You can even design and share your own books with friends and family. Also, it brings together storytelling and the written word in an innovative, accessible way, and is a great resource for budding writers.

Online Literature Library

Online Literature Library features a collection of links to other literary resources, as well as comprehensive summaries and commentaries for each piece in the collection. The library is regularly updated, with new titles and authors added, providing readers access to a wide range of stories, poems, plays, and much more. 

Story bird

It offers a wide range of genres for readers to explore and interact with – from stories about friendship and love, to science-fiction and fantasy. It also has a library of artwork that can be used for illustrations for stories written by authors. Aside from this, Storybird also provides tools to help authors create and share their stories.

For example, it has a feature to allow authors to collaborate on the same project. It even provides the capacity for authors to publish their stories and make them available to a wider audience. The platform prides itself on its ability to promote a community of writers and storytellers of all ages and skill levels. 

Smashwords

With Smashwords, readers can find anything from dark romances to crime thrillers and even fantasy adventures, with stories ranging from 1,000 words to more than 8,000 words in length.

 Each story is correctly formatted for ease of reading and all stories can be downloaded in a variety of formats. Through grammar-checking tools, Smashwords is able to give the highest quality stories from self-published authors, giving readers an easy and convenient way to discover new talent. 

Best Places to Read Short Stories Online for Free

A great way to discover new authors and genres in the comfort of your own home is to read short stories online. There is a huge variety of resources available, so start exploring today and find your next favorite read!

Don’t forget to give feedback or reviews to help the authors grow their work, and share with friends and family to get the conversation started!

Want to learn more about storytelling? Check out our blog!