Very Short Science Fiction Short Stories

Science fiction short stories that are very short are good for many things.
  • Perhaps you only have a few mintues and want to read a good science fiction story.
  • Or maybe you are trying to read a great short story during your lunch break.
  • Or better yet - maybe you are doing an assignment for school and you want the shortest science fiction story possible!

Those are all valid reasons, but what constitutes a "very short" short story? Well, I think that short stories that have under 3,000 words could be considered very short.

Another good excuse to read a great science fiction short story!

Here is a list of very short science fiction short stories featured on our site:



  • They’re Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson
  • Birdwatcher by Garth Upshaw
  • The Fate of Nations by James Morrow
  • Copperhead by Gene Wolfe
  • All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury
  • The Nine Billion Names of God by Arthur C. Clarke
  • Orbiter’s Reward by Greg Wickenhofer
  • Heaven, As Built By Tackleby Ames by Bart Meehan
  • “Hello” Said the Stick by Michael Swanwick
  • For Solo Cello, op.12 by Mary Robinette Kowal
  • Falling Onto Mars by Geoffrey A. Landis
  • The Star by Arthur C. Clarke
  • In The Pound, Near Breaktime by Kent Brewster
  • The Cube Game by Emily Seife
  • The Day the Martians Came by Frederik Pohl