How to Use AI to Write a Children’s Book

This article is on how to use AI to write a children’s book

What was seemingly an innocent take on writing and illustrating a children’s book turned into a nightmarish experience for Ammaar Reshi – a San Francisco-based product design manager who decided to publish his book “Alice and Sparkle” on Amazon.

Acting in good faith, the would-be first-time author boasted of finishing the children’s book in one weekend. There’s nothing wrong with it; it’s an impressive feat. But wait until you hear the rest.

Reshi didn’t write a single word himself; he used a machine learning algorithm to generate the entire book.

And at the forefront of the controversy is ChatGPT.

If you’re in any way associated with writing, you’ve probably heard of ChatGPT.

It’s an AI-driven software that generates conversational content out of a given prompt.

And while it’s not the first of its kind, it is the most effective.

ChatGPT, or any other AI-driven software, works by predicting the next logical sentence in a written conversation.

It does so by leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning algorithms to find patterns in the existing text.

AI tools designed for content creation are programmed with almost infinite data to comprehend text, context, and relevancy.

The objective is to produce human-like responses to questions thrown at them (commands or prompts).

Can AI Tools Really Write Children’s Books?

Yes, and they’re as good as any human author.

The great thing about AI writers is that they quickly generate high-quality content with you having to put in very minimal effort.

Truth be told, the generated text has a higher chance of being unique compared to traditional methods from the perspective of search engines.

This post will talk about the steps in writing a children’s book using AI.

And in the process, we’ll argue why we should and shouldn’t use AI for writing.

The Tools You Need

• ChatGPT or any other AI writing tool
• AI program that generates images out of text descriptions

Writing the Book

Step 1: Start the Conversation

The first step is to start a conversation with your AI tool.

The key here is providing the right command or prompt, depending on the AI program you’re using.

For ChatGPT, it could be something like:

“Let’s write a children’s book. The main character is a young boy named Andy.

He goes to the forest daily to secretly meet up with his best friend, a tiger cub.”

This prompt sets the scene for your AI to start generating content around it.

You’ll get a series of sentences that will eventually form your plot.

Step 2: Add Detailed Descriptions

Once the AI tool is prompted to start writing, it will generate content in response to your commands.

As you go along, use more detailed descriptions and questions to paint a vivid picture of what’s happening.

For example, if you want to describe the setting, ask your AI tool questions like “how does Andy feel when he’s in the forest?” or “what colour are the leaves of the trees?”.

Step 3: Add Characters and Dialogue

Once you have a basic plot in place, it’s time to add characters and dialogue.

You can use prompts like “Andy is talking to his best friend, the tiger cub.

What are they saying?” or “How does Andy feel when he talks to the tiger cub?”.

Be reminded that AI programs can only generate highly specific dialogue if you give it the right prompt.

Step 4: Refine Your Content

The output generated by AI tools can be “rough” and repetitive at times, so you’ll need to refine it manually if you want a well-crafted story.

Here are some tips for doing just that:

• Read the entire output generated by your AI tool and identify any inconsistencies.
• Check for grammar and spelling mistakes in the text.
• Check for readability, as some text generated by AI tools may be difficult to comprehend.
• If you feel certain parts don’t make sense, rewrite them.
• Replace any stock phrases or cliches with more vivid and expressive language.

Other Key Points Writing A Book Using AI

• If you’re serious about putting your children’s book out there, you’ll need to edit it to see everything is perfect.
• Get a publisher’s help – they’ll advise you on the best course of action and point out any plot inconsistencies that may have gone unnoticed.
• Don’t forget that you’re writing a children’s book, so language should be kept simple and concise.
• Double-check your content for grammar, accuracy, and flow. If there is one thing that AI tool doesn’t always get right, it’s grammar.

Illustration For Your AI Children’s Book

You’ve probably guessed by now that AI can also help with illustrations.

All you need to do is provide descriptions of the characters, settings and scenes within your story, and an AI program will generate images out of them.

For this tutorial, we’ll use a tool called “Midjourney.”

Midjourney is an AI-powered tool that allows users to create images using artificial intelligence.

The tool uses machine learning algorithms to analyze images and generate new ones based on the analyzed data.

Midjourney is capable of creating a wide range of images, including characters, abstract designs, landscapes, portraits, and more.

Users can provide input such as colour schemes, composition styles, and image types to help guide the image creation process.

The technology behind Midjourney represents a new frontier in creative design, as it provides users with the ability to quickly and easily generate high-quality images without the need for advanced design skills.

Step 1: Create a Discord account.

There’s no way around it since Midjourney requires a Discord account to use its service.

if you don’t know what Discord is, it’s a free voice, video, and text chat app that is designed for gamers, but is also used by a wide variety of communities.

It allows users to create servers, or communities, where they can chat with other members via text or voice channels.

Users can also create private channels, as well as share images, videos, and links. Discord has become popular due to its ease of use, wide range of features, and its ability to be used on a variety of platforms, including desktop and mobile devices.

Once you find yourself inside the Midjourney website, proceed by clicking “Join the beta.” I’ll give you the Discord invite.

From there, you’ll see an icon that resembles a ship on the menu at the left corner of the page. Click this icon to proceed.

Step 2: Select a room.

You’ll find several channels by now, but your focus is on the “newcomer” room. Select one to proceed.

Step 3: Create your illustration.

The free trial offers a limiter number of prompts.

It means your creativity is also limited.

Be reminded that you only have a little over 20 free images, and from there, you are required to upgrade to a premium membership.

Going back to the illustration, here’s what you should do:

Create a prompt field to type the image description by inputting “/imagine” in the Discord chat.

You must be creative and precise simultaneously – remember that the AI will only give you specific results if you are good at describing.

When you’re done, press “Enter” to send the prompt.

Allow the AI to generate your prospects – processing everything will take a minute.

You can also make variations to the present image.

You’ll expect a handful of unique versions, and you must choose one to proceed.

Step 4: Download the illustration.

The best way to do this is to “DM” the image using the envelope-like emoji.

Add this to your chat, where you can save and download it.

Once you’re in possession of the illustration, you can repeat the process for the rest of the images you need.

It’d be wise to have a few different options, so it’s up to you whether you want to make variations.

And from the look of it, writing (and illustrating) a children’s book using AI could legitimately be done with less effort and time.

But the lingering question is: will it be as good as manually written books?

The Pros of Using AI To Write A Children’s Book

One of the main advantages of using AI to write a children’s book is that it can generate a book at a much faster rate than a human author.

An AI program can analyze a large amount of data, including popular children’s books, and use that information to create a new book in a matter of hours.

This can be especially useful for companies looking to produce a large number of books quickly.

Another advantage of using AI to write a children’s book is that it can be more cost-effective than hiring a human author.

While AI programs may require an initial investment, once they are set up, they can generate an unlimited number of books without requiring additional payment.

Lastly, AI can also be used to create personalized books for children.

By using data such as the child’s name, age, and interests, an AI program can generate a unique story that is tailored specifically to that child.

This can be a great way to engage children and make them feel like the book was created just for them.

The Challenges With AI Books

The most obvious challenge of using AI to write a children’s book is that the accuracy of its output heavily depends on how accurately you can describe your ideas.

As mentioned, AI tools can’t consider context or nuance when processing commands and generating images.

The other challenge is that AI-generated books tend to lack originality.

With the same prompt, it’s highly likely for different people to get the same results.

Therefore, if you want your story to stand out, it’s best to have as many unique and creative prompts as possible.

Finally, there is always a risk of errors when using AI to write a children’s book.

While AI programs can be highly sophisticated, they are not infallible. There is always the risk that the program will make a mistake, resulting in a book that is poorly written or difficult for children to understand.

An Onslaught of Criticism

Ammaar Reshi couldn’t have anticipated the criticism he received soon after people read about it on Twitter.

To say that some authors and writers weren’t pleased with the concept would be an understatement.

Many argue that using AI to write children’s books is morally absurd and wrong.

It defeats the purpose of writing a book – to create something unique and remarkable.

They argue that if AI-generated books become popular, it will decrease the quality of children’s literature. For them, storytelling must remain a human responsibility.

Thievery of Some Sorts

The problem is that AI-generated books will lessen children’s literature quality and financially hurt authors and illustrators.

In some way, it could be seen as thievery – taking away jobs from creative professionals to replace them with machines.

It could also be seen as mocking creative professionals, particularly those who put in years of hard work and effort to perfect their craft.

Meanwhile, visual artists contend that using AI programs to generate art is also a form of theft.

The reason is that AI-generated artwork is not necessarily the original work of a specific individual.

Thus, any duplication would be a violation of intellectual property rights.

What this program does is create images based on the descriptions given.

The images it creates are not necessarily original pieces of art, which is why some visual artists feel that their work is being stolen in a way.

And they have a point.

Have you ever wondered where the AI got its images from in the first place?

It’s not like it randomly comes up with a new image.

It takes images from various sources, including public-domain art and stock photography.

The Lack of Voice

Another issue with AI writing children’s books is the lack of voice.

Voice is important in children’s literature since it adds personality and connection to the characters and their stories.

Without a strong, distinct voice, the story might slip into oblivion.

Children’s books are way too important to be written by a machine.

It’s not only the lack of voice that makes AI-generated books inferior but also the fact that they can’t replicate human writers’ nuances and personal touch.

It’s not like you’re writing a nonfiction title, i.e., a history book or a science paper.

Children’s books should be imaginative, creative, and inspiring – something AI won’t and can’t do.

Voice separates a children’s book from the rest.

Voice enables readers to look through the eyes of the protagonist.

It allows them to feel as if they are experiencing the story first-hand.

AI fails to replicate this feeling because it lacks a soul, which makes all the difference in writing children’s books.

A Question of Authorship For AI-Created Books

AI-generated books raise questions about authorship.

Who should take credit for an AI-written book?

If a machine generates it, who dares call himself the author?

There exist no rules on where credit should and shouldn’t be placed.

Without an understanding of authorship, AI-generated books may become popular without any recognition given to their creators.

After all, is it righteous and sufficient to call someone the author of a book when they provided the commands or prompts to the AI program?

Will that even hold to the standards of literature?

To Sell or Not to Sell Your AI Children’s Book?

We believe that “Alice and Sparkle” couldn’t have been a big issue on Twitter if it wasn’t for the fact that it was being sold.

Artists and authors couldn’t swallow that their hard work is being sold alongside an AI-generated book, especially one marketed to have been finished in 72 hours.

Think of it this way: if it wasn’t made for public consumption, would people even care about it in the first place?

The issue is about selling such creations as legitimate books.

If AI-generated books are to be released, they should have a warning label: “This book has been written by an AI and not a human being.”

Otherwise, consumers won’t know what they’re buying and will misunderstand the product. After all, it wouldn’t hurt an AI’s feelings.

The case of “Alice and Sparkle” brings the whole discussion surrounding AI and children’s books to a human level instead of just technical or ethical considerations – thus, making it all the more important for us to think through the implications of using AI in this domain.

If the public can’t differentiate between AI-written books and those written by people, isn’t that a scary thought?

So, should you be writing children’s books using AI by now?

The answer is a definite NO.

It’s not only the ethical concerns that make AI unsuitable for children’s books but also its lack of creativity and voice, questions of authorship and copyright, and the risk of selling something that may be perceived as inferior.

Creative endeavours should remain in the hands of humans so literature will continue to flourish with passion, soul, and heart.

Many aspects of our lives could very well be driven by AI sooner than later. But children’s books? That’s off-limits.