Make Your Own Story Book
A practical, repeatable process—from idea to illustrated, print‑ready pages.
What you actually need (spoiler: not much)
You don’t need fancy tools. You need a dependable flow: decide what your book is about, turn that into short, readable pages, and add illustrations that feel like the same world. The steps below keep you moving and reduce second‑guessing.
1) Outline the beats
Write 10–20 one‑line beats that move from setup to a cozy close. A reliable arc is ordinary day → small problem → try → help → resolution → warm ending. Keep stakes gentle and specific—“Ava can’t find her red mitten” is easier to illustrate and more satisfying to solve than a vague “Ava is sad.”
2) Draft pages kids can truly follow
- Put one idea on each page.
- Use concrete nouns and everyday verbs.
- Repeat a friendly refrain the child can echo (“We can try again.”).
- Read aloud—if a phrase trips you up, simplify it.
3) Add cohesive illustrations
Lock the hero’s look (face, hair, outfit) and choose one art style (watercolor, painterly, or flat). Plan composition before rendering: close‑ups for feelings, wide shots for exploration, and quiet space around text. Reuse colors and anchor objects (the red kite, the striped backpack) to build familiarity.
4) Export for print and sharing
Export high‑resolution images sized to your trim; include bleed if required. Compile a print‑ready PDF and test a plain‑paper mock. Adjust text spacing or background detail where pages feel crowded—this quick pass turns a good book into a great one.