Creating a children’s story with AI: a step-by-step guide

Written by Rocío Mateos | October 2023

In this era of clicks and keyboards, AI tools are changing the game of content creation. AI is not only putting its circuits into industry and science, but it is also turning the creative world on its head. 

In this article, I’ll take you by the hand (virtually, of course!) through creating a children’s story about AI with ChatGPT, Midjourney, Canva and Genny. The tutorial reflects our October 2023 workflow; interfaces and terms of use may have changed.

Algorithms and adventures! When AI decides to tell us stories

-An AI story, made by AI!-

Before you jump into the void, stop for a moment. What do you want to do? Who are you addressing? Where will you show it? And, most importantly, have you asked ChatGPT yet? Because, come on, you don't have to do all the work yourself.

Our first piece of advice is to arm yourself with patience, ChatGPT is a great companion, but it is not a fortune teller (although almost!). A good initial talk is essential.

Do you already have the spark of your idea? Brilliant! How formed is it? In our case, we were very clear: we wanted a story that unravels the history of AI for the little ones. But, between you and me, we had no idea how to start. So we thought: Who better to tell us the story of AI than AI itself?

Part 1: developing ideas with ChatGPT

Let's get to work. The first thing was to give context to ChatGPT. We asked him to give us a summary of the history of AI. And, well, the magic began!

Once ChatGPT has the context of a children’s story about AI, we can explore its suggestions. But remember: the ideas can be creative while the facts are wrong, so both need review. And if you want to mix AI with dragons, that could be epic too!

We ask him for characters and, bam!, he introduces us to Ada, a curious girl, and Turing, a robot shaped like a teapot. Yes, you read that right, a teapot! Who would have thought a teapot could be so charismatic?

We didn’t settle for the first idea: we kept talking and refining our instructions. Think of ChatGPT as a writing partner, without the coffee or sleepless nights, who still needs clear direction.

With a few more instructions, ChatGPT produced the full story: settings, situations and dialogue, all divided into scenes. It felt like having a writing team in one tool, working together to bring the story to life.

Part 2: images with Midjourney

With the plot in hand, we realized that a story without pictures is like a pizza without cheese, it's just not the same! 

And this is where MidJourney becomes our visual superhero.

Think of Midjourney as an illustration studio you approach with a description. It does not look up a photograph in an album: it generates new images from your instructions. That lets us explore different versions of the characters and settings we imagine.

But remember: ChatGPT and Midjourney complement each other while doing different jobs. A vague request is rarely enough: describe the scene, style and feeling you want, then try different options. It is like a tango: learning the steps takes time.

You may be wondering: how do I know what instructions to give? We can ask ChatGPT to prepare detailed prompts, then adjust them based on the images we get.

For this project, we accessed Midjourney through Discord. 

Don’t worry: we took it step by step, starting on its website.

In the interface available at the time, the beta access option took us to Discord. We signed in and connected an account with an active subscription. Before following along, check the service’s current options and terms. 

With the account ready, we could start experimenting. 

Once inside the room, all we have to do is create. 

We entered /imagine and pasted the description prepared with ChatGPT. We used English prompts for this project.

Midjourney gave us four options. A tip: shared channels contain lots of generations, so keep track of yours and save them to avoid losing them among the others.

With the four options in front of us, we can choose one, request variations or generate a new set. 

In our case, we were clear, we stayed with the U4 option. 

And, like the faithful companion that never leaves you hanging, MidJourney allows us to modify the image with several options. Just try them all to see which one you like best!

Part 3: design with Canva!

With images and text in our arsenal, it was time for everything to come to life and shape. And this is where Canva comes into the picture, like that design superhero that appears just when you need it. Imagine having a renowned graphic designer in your pocket, always ready to help you, but without the endless talks about "the essence of art."

The first thing we did was dive into the vast world of templates that Canva offers. From minimalist designs to the most colorful and extravagant, there is something for everyone! We chose one that suited the tone and style of our story.

We then dragged the images into place, added the text and tried different fonts until we found one that suited our AI story. We adjusted the colours to make everything work together.

But Canva isn't just about drag and drop.

We experimented with effects, shadows and small details that made the story shine.

After a few adjustments (and perhaps a couple of coffees), we had a visually appealing story ready to spark children’s imaginations and, let’s admit it, adults’ imaginations too.

Canva offers many ways to customise content. We found its interface easy to explore, and its guided help let us learn as we designed.

Part 4: giving the story a voice with Genny!

Once we had our story visually ready, we realized that something was missing: the sound! And not just any sound, but the voices of our beloved characters. This is where Genny, the wonderful voice generation tool, comes into action.

Imagine having an entire cast of voice actors at your disposal, ready to bring your characters to life. That's Genny. With its advanced AI technology, we were able to select different tones, accents, and voice styles that suited each character's personality.

When we made the project, Genny offered several plans and a free option for trying the tool. Check the current terms, particularly usage limits and audio rights.

First, we chose each character’s tone and voice style. In Genny, we could filter by language and voice characteristics to find a suitable match.

Do you want the voice to sound angry? Curious?

Well, you just have to look for the option that best suits what you are looking for. 

We started with Ada. As a curious young girl, she needed a gentle voice full of wonder. For Turing, the teapot-shaped robot, we wanted something more mechanical, but still warm and friendly.

With the voices selected, we entered the text into Genny. The tool generated the narration audio, with a distinct voice for each character.

In the end, with Genny, we not only had a story, but an immersive experience that could be both read and listened to. A true multimedia gem that made us think: “Wow, AI can really do magic!”

Once the audios were downloaded, the only thing left to do was enter them into Canva. 

We uploaded the audio files to Canva and dragged them into the design. On the timeline, we could position them and adjust their duration.

Now it is time to align the voices with the scenes. Listen to each section, check the pauses and move or trim the audio on the timeline. Music-sync options can help with rhythm, but check separately that the narration matches the visuals and that children can follow it.

We finally have our story created!

I know we have traveled a path full of details and magical AI tools. But, if you are one of those who prefer to have a panoramic view before diving into the depths, I have something for you! Below, I present a simplified diagram that summarizes the essential steps to create a children's story with the help of artificial intelligence:

Here are the essential steps:

1st Conceptualization with ChatGPT

First of all, define your main idea. Then contextualize and ask ChatGPT about the plot and characters.

2º Detail with ChatGPT

Ask ChatGPT for characters, settings and dialogue. Then review and refine the plot and structure of your story.

3rd Visualization with MidJourney

Use Midjourney to generate and select images from prompts. You can ask ChatGPT to help prepare them!

4th Design with Canva

Choose a suitable template and add the images and text. Customise the design with fonts, colours and effects.

5. Narration with Genny

Select the tone and style of voice for each character. And then just enter the text and Genny will do it all. Add sound effects if necessary!

Publish and share!

Once your story is complete, it's ready to be shared with the world!

We have navigated together a journey that combines the magic of narrative with the precision of technology. Through this process, we have seen how artificial intelligence can be an invaluable ally in content creation, transforming a simple idea into a vibrant and visually captivating story.

The scheme I presented to you is a roadmap, a path that you can follow and adapt according to your needs. But beyond the steps and tools, what really matters is the passion and creativity you bring. AI is just a tool; the heart of the story will always come from you.

So whether you're looking to create a short story, a graphic novel, or any other creative project, remember that in this digital age, the possibilities are endless. So go ahead, take the leap, experiment, and let AI be with you on your next creative adventure!

Dare to try these tools and share your results with us!

Ada and the Secret of AI

We recommend you see our finished story published in YouTube shorts!

click here

For more inspiration, explore our other posts. 

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