Let's find out. It's a lot easier than you'd think.
I told my daughter that I wanted to use AI to create a Children's book to sell on Amazon and needed ideas. She quickly recalled a story about taking her two little half-sisters out shopping for raincoats. They looked at every single raincoat in the store but kept coming back to the classic yellow raincoat because "it looked like one from a storybook".
So I set up some parameters to guide and streamline the process and I've broken them down below - along with a link to purchase the Version 1 Book. As my prompt skills and experiences build, I'll be reproducing the book and selling that as well.
100% of the proceeds will go to buying Amazon stock for my daughter's TD Ameritrade ROTH IRA account that she will access at 23.
Buy eBook Here
The Breakdown:
- I chose the paid version of ChatGPT4 to write the book and the paid version of MidJourney to create all the illustrations. Total cost $30.
- I chose Kindle Direct Publishing to sell online- Total cost = % of sales. https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US
- I used Adobe Suite to layout the book, choose typefaces and export designs into a high-resolution PDF. The total cost was FREE since my business has a subscription already.
- I chose 32 pages after Googling "average page length of children's book". I count the image/text spread as 1 page.
- I decided to do 2 different experiments. More on that below.
- I wrote basic prompts for each AI program to follow for each book.
- I allocated 10 hours for the 1st Book and 20 hours for the 2nd Book.
Book 1: Minimal Viable Product
For Book 1, I decided to have very little input and just publish the first draft results produced. Whatever ChatGPT spit out, I'd use. I requested 32 pages and ChatGPT stopped at 27 pages so I added "Create a story for page 28-32" in which it completed the book.
For the illustrations, I had to prompt MidJouney with some consistent terms, but the results were mixed. By default, it produces 4 options for each prompt and I just used whatever one was the best of 4 options. I didn't worry about having the characters stay the same age, or race or fret over distinct features. It was really difficult not to have repetitive style art, but you can see it produces really tight first renderings. Unless there were grammatical errors or the art direction really started to go off the rails, I pretty much used the first version of the script and art. I really wanted to show everyone how the sausage was made.
It helps to know Adobe Indesign and have some basic layout skills, but free tools like Canva and Amazon's Cover Creator will get you there too. I chose the 70% payout level which forces you to price your eBook at a $2.99 minimum. For the printed book, the minimum price was $10.73 USD with per unit costs of $5.61 + 60% royalties (meaning Amazon gets 40% of sale + $5.61 for print fees). Both books took about 48 hours to approve.
The AI Process for Book 1
ChatGPT Prompt: "Create a Children's book titled “Yellow Raincoats” intended to be read aloud as a shared experience between an adult and child. The book is 32 pages and the two main characters are twin siblings shopping for raincoats. One sibling is a boy. The other sibling is a girl."
The first thing I noticed were the names it selected and how well organized the short pages were. It 'wrote' each page one at a time and you could tell it was thinking before it produced the next page. Altogether, it took around 50 seconds to produce 27 pages. I had to prompt it to finish the remaining 5 pages, which took under 20 seconds.
=== Title: Yellow Raincoats
Page 1: Once upon a time, in a small, bustling town, there lived a pair of twin siblings named Max and Maddie.
Page 2: Max and Maddie were inseparable, and they loved to go on adventures together, no matter the weather.
Page 3: One day, the sky turned gray, and it began to rain. Max and Maddie realized they needed new raincoats to protect them from the rain on their adventures.
Page 4: Their mother took them to the local store, which had raincoats in every color and style you could imagine.
Page 5: First, they saw raincoats with patterns, stripes, polka dots and even ones with little dinosaurs.
Page 6: Max tried on a striped raincoat, while Maddie slipped into one with polka dots. They giggled and twirled, but something didn’t feel quite right.
Page 7: Next, they found cute raincoats with animal faces and ears. Max found one with a puppy face, while Maddie picked one with a kitten.
Page 8: They tried on the animal raincoats and pretended to be little critters, but still, something was missing.
Page 9: The twins then discovered clear raincoats that would allow them to show off their colorful clothes underneath.
Page 10: Max and Maddie put on the clear raincoats and admired their outfits, but they couldn’t shake the feeling that these raincoats weren’t meant for them.
Page 11: As they wandered through the store, Max and Maddie noticed a classic yellow raincoat hanging on a rack.
Page 12: “There’s something about this raincoat,” Max whispered to Maddie. “It’s like it belongs in a storybook.”
Page 13: Maddie nodded in agreement. They both tried on the yellow raincoats, and suddenly, it felt just right.
Page 14: Max and Maddie twirled and danced around the store, imagining all the adventures they could have in their new yellow raincoats.
Page 15: They went back to the patterned raincoats and tried them on again, just to be sure.
Page 16: But as they looked at themselves in the mirror, they shook their heads. “Nope, not the one for me,” they said in unison.
Page 17: Max and Maddie tried on the cute animal raincoats once more, but they still couldn’t imagine wearing them on their adventures.
Page 18: Finally, they put on the clear raincoats one last time, but they knew in their hearts that the yellow raincoats were the ones for them.
Page 19: Max and Maddie returned to the classic yellow raincoats and looked at each other with big smiles on their faces.
Page 20: “You are the one for me!” Max said to his yellow raincoat.
Page 21: “You are the one for me!” Maddie echoed to hers.
Page 22: Their mother smiled as she watched her twins beam with happiness in their perfect raincoats.
Page 23: Max and Maddie held hands and skipped to the checkout counter, excited to take their new raincoats home.
Page 24: As they left the store, they couldn’t help but feel like they were stepping into a storybook adventure of their own.
Page 25: With their yellow raincoats on, Max and Maddie splashed through puddles and danced in the rain.
Page 26: Together, they explored their town, making friends with frogs and jumping over rainbows.
Page 27: The twins discovered that their yellow raincoats kept them dry.
Page 28: During their adventure, Max and Maddie stumbled upon a hidden grove filled with vibrant flowers that bloomed even in the rain.
Page 29: The twins marveled at the beauty of the grove, their yellow raincoats standing out brightly against the colorful flowers.
Page 30: Max and Maddie looked at each other and knew that their storybook adventures were just beginning, and their yellow raincoats would always be there to keep them dry and warm.
Page 31: From that day on, the twins wore their yellow raincoats on all their adventures, big or small, creating their own storybook moments.
Page 32: Max and Maddie learned that sometimes, the simplest things can bring the most joy, and that their yellow raincoats would forever hold a special place in their hearts. And they lived happily ever after, rain or shine, in their beloved yellow raincoats.
Midjourney Prompts
Book 1 / Cover /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings with yellow raincoats.
Book 1 / Page 1 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings named Max and Maddie that live in a bustling town
Book 1 / Page 2 /imagine prompt: Max and Maddie are inseparable twin siblings that love to go on adventures together, no matter the weather
Book 1 / Page 3 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings concerned about getting rained on from an upcoming storm, grey stormy skies
Book 1 / Page 4 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings are taken shopping for raincoats by their mother, raincoats in every color and style in the store
Book 1 / Page 5 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings shopping for raincoats with lots of different raincoats on the racks
Book 1 / Page 6 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, male child Max trying on a striped raincoat, female child Maddie trying on polka dots raincoat, laughing and dancing
Book 1 / Page 7 /imagine prompt 1: Children book illustration of male child Max trying on a blue raincoat in a store. The raincoat has patterns of puppy faces. The store is small and bright and Max is happy to be there. There is no dog in the store.
/imagine prompt 2: Children book illustration of female child Maddie trying on a blue raincoat in a store. The raincoat has patterns of kittens. The store is small and bright and Maddie is happy to be there. There are no animals in the store.
Book 1 / Page 8 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings shopping for raincoats pretended to be little critters
Book 1 / Page 9 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings wearing clear raincoats that would allow them to show off their colorful clothes underneath
Book 1 / Page 10 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings wearing clear raincoats can't shake the feeling that the raincoats weren't meant for them
Book 1 / Page 11 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings wandered through the store. Both siblings are wearing blue raincoats. They see a classic yellow raincoat hanging on a rack nearby.
Book 1 / Page 12 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, brother whispering in ear of sister
Book 1 / Page 13 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings wearing raincoats in the sunny store and really happy
Book 1 / Page 14 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings wearing yellow raincoats twirling and dancing around the store very happy
Book 1 / Page 15 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings looking into mirror and wearing animal pattern raincoats
Book 1 / Page 16 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings looking at each other saying no and shaking heads
Book 1 / Page 17 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings wearing cute animal raincoats
Book 1 / Page 18 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings wearing beatuiful clear plastic raincoats inside a store
Book 1 / Page 19 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, twin siblings with huge smiles wear beautiful bright yellow raincoats inside the mall shopping with their mom
Book 1 / Page 20 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, boy sibling with huge smile wearing yellow raincoat holding up number 1 finger
Book 1 / Page 21 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, girl sibling with huge smile wearing yellow raincoat holding up number 1 finger and jumping
Book 1 / Page 22 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration, with short twin siblings wearing bright yellow raincoats standing next to their taller mother in the mall
Book 1 / Page 23 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration with twin siblings holding hands and skipping wearing bright yellow raincoats inside of a mall
Book 1 / Page 24 /imagine prompt: children book illustration with twin siblings wearing bright yellow raincoats holding hands stepping into a magical storybook world
Book 1 / Page 25 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration with twin siblings holding hands and jumping in puddles outside wearing bright yellow raincoats that are brand new
Book 1 / Page 26 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration with boy sibling wearing bright yellow raincoat exploring and making friends with frog
Book 1 / Page 27 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration with twin siblings wearing bright yellow raincoats realizing how dry the coat is keeping them from the rain
Book 1 / Page 28 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration with twin siblings wearing bright yellow raincoats walking through a huge field of wild flowers in the rain. The sky is cloudy but full of rainbows
Book 1 / Page 29 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration with twin siblings wearing bright yellow raincoats walking through a huge field of blue wild flowers
Book 1 / Page 30 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration with twin siblings wearing bright yellow raincoats that are looking at each other and rolling in the field
Book 1 / Page 31 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration with twin siblings wearing bright yellow raincoats creating stories about wild adventures using their imagination
Book 1 / Page 32 /imagine prompt: Children book illustration with twin siblings hugging bright yellow raincoats, but not wearing them
Back Covers
Amazon Description: A delightful childhood adventure driven by the wonderful new world of artificial intelligence. Follow twin siblings Max and Maddie as they trust their intuition while shopping for a new storybook-inspired raincoat. Intended to be read aloud as a shared experience between an adult and child, Max and Maddie learn a life lesson of sticking to your first instinct.
Book 2: In Progress
I'll be finishing Book 2 over the next few weeks and really diving into the new world of "Prompt Engineering". This will be an actual well-paying job that you (or your children) can start learning today and getting paid tomorrow. No degree is required - just a logical, articulate mind - willing to clearly direct machine learning from the comfort of their own home. I know a few introverted, brilliant kids who are going to be very wealthy teenagers.
Stay tuned.. and feel free to ask all kinds of questions after purchasing!