Discover the American female short story writers who have made significant contribution to their field. This list is loosely sorted by popularity and includes many great American female short story writers, such as Donna Douglas, Diane Ladd, Shirley Jackson, Louisa May Alcott and Joyce Carol Oates.

American Female Short Story Writers

Louisa May AlcottLouisa May Alcott
29 November 1832, American
Writer
Diane LaddDiane Ladd
29 November 1932, American
Actress

Donna DouglasDonna Douglas
26 September 1932, American
Actress

Shirley JacksonShirley Jackson
14 December 1916, American
Author

Joyce Carol OatesJoyce Carol Oates
16 June 1938, American
Writer

Holiday ReinhornHoliday Reinhorn
12 March 1964, American
Fiction Writer
Edith WhartonEdith Wharton
24 January 1862, American
Writer

Jhumpa LahiriJhumpa Lahiri
11 July 1967, British, American
Writer

Anne Morrow LindberghAnne Morrow Lindbergh
22 June 1906, American
Renowned Author & Aviator

Carson McCullersCarson McCullers
19 February 1917, American
American novelist
Deborah EisenbergDeborah Eisenberg
20 November 1945, American
Writer

Katherine Anne PorterKatherine Anne Porter
15 May 1890, American
Journalist, Essayist, Writer, Novelist
Charlotte DeanCharlotte Dean
29 September 1982, American
Illustrator, Visual Artist

Elizabeth GilbertElizabeth Gilbert
18 July 1969, American
Writer

Diana GabaldonDiana Gabaldon
11 January 1952, American
Author
Tabitha KingTabitha King
24 March 1949, American
Writer

Roxane GayRoxane Gay
15 October 1974, American
Writer
Celeste NgCeleste Ng
30 July 1980, American
Novelist

Veronica RothVeronica Roth
19 August 1988, American
Novelist

Louise ErdrichLouise Erdrich
07 June 1954, American
Author
Eudora WeltyEudora Welty
13 April 1909, American
Writer

Min Jin LeeMin Jin Lee
18 April 1968, American, South Korean
Novelist
Jennifer EganJennifer Egan
07 September 1962, American
Novelist

Lydia DavisLydia Davis
15 July 1947, American
Writer

Sarah Orne JewettSarah Orne Jewett
03 September 1849, American
Novelist

Jane SmileyJane Smiley
26 September 1949, American
Novelist
Bharati MukherjeeBharati Mukherjee
27 July 1940, Indian, American
Writer
Grace PaleyGrace Paley
11 December 1922, American
Author

Cynthia OzickCynthia Ozick
17 April 1928, American
Short Story Writer

Sara ParetskySara Paretsky
08 June 1947, American
Author

Laura RidingLaura Riding
16 January 1901, American
Poet
Ann BeattieAnn Beattie
08 September 1947, American
Novelist

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Alice Dunbar NelsonAlice Dunbar Nelson
19 July 1875, American
Poet

Tess GallagherTess Gallagher
21 July 1943, American
Poet

Ann PetryAnn Petry
12 October 1908, American
Writer

Dawn PowellDawn Powell
28 November 1896, American
Author
Linda HoganLinda Hogan
16 July 1947, American
Poet

Caroline GordonCaroline Gordon
06 October 1895, American
Novelist, Short story writer, Critic
A.M. HomesA.M. Homes
18 December 1961, American
American author

Zhang AilingZhang Ailing
30 September 1920, Chinese, American
Writer

Dorothea Margaret TanningDorothea Margaret Tanning
25 August 1910, American
Painter