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A Challenge in Your 40s: Bringing a Long-Abandoned Picture Book to Life with AI in One Month
機械翻訳 / Machine-translated
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機械翻訳 / Machine-translated
Gazing at his own reflection in the window of the commuter train, Saeki recalled something his daughter had said. "Daddy, make me a picture book." It was a casual remark from his daughter, who had just started third grade.
Saeki (42, working at an IT company) had dreamed of attending art school twenty years ago. Creating his own picture book had been his ambition. But financial constraints forced him to give it up, and he enrolled in a practical-focused university instead. He wrote "make a picture book someday" in a notebook, and that "someday" never came.
Days consumed by work and childcare. His drawing skills had grown rusty, and time was scarce. His daughter's words pierced his heart, but he told himself, "It's impossible." That was in January 2026.
On the surface, Saeki told himself he gave up on the picture book because he had "no time" and "couldn't draw." But the real reason was that he didn't know how to take that first step.
Twenty years ago, making a picture book required specialized skills and an enormous amount of time. You had to devise a story, design characters, draw dozens of illustrations, and put together a layout. He had convinced himself it was impossible unless you were a professional.
"I want to do it, but I can't." That feeling had sunk to the bottom of his heart and stayed there for twenty years.
The turning point came on a certain evening in February 2026. Saeki spotted a post on social media that said, "I made a picture book with AI." Half-skeptical, he opened a conversational AI app on his smartphone.
He sent the message: "I'd like you to help me think of a story for a picture book." The AI responded with questions. "What kind of theme did you have in mind?" "Who would you like to read it?" "What kind of personality does the main character have?"
Saeki answered while thinking of his daughter. "The main character is a little girl who almost gives up on her dream but tries again." The AI immediately offered him several story ideas.
An hour later, the framework of the story was complete. Saeki was astonished. Something he had been telling himself he'd do "someday" for twenty years had started taking shape in just one hour.
Saeki worked on the picture book during the thirty minutes after his daughter went to sleep on weekday nights. On weekends, he prioritized family time and didn't work on it at all. Over roughly one month in total, he followed the steps below.
He refined the story through repeated exchanges with a conversational AI. When he asked things like "Will this line resonate with children?" and "Is the pacing too fast?", the AI responded with concrete suggestions for improvement.
On the third evening, the complete story for a sixteen-page picture book was finished. When he read it aloud to his daughter, she said, "I want to know what happens next!"
Next, he designed the characters using an image generation tool. He typed in a prompt — "a small girl with bright hair, picture book style, warm atmosphere" — and within seconds, multiple candidates were generated.
At first the images didn't turn out the way he envisioned, and he went through a lot of trial and error. He looked up how to write better prompts, added more specific instructions such as "watercolor style" and "soft touch," and the results gradually moved closer to his ideal.
Over seven days, he gathered base images for the main character, supporting characters, and backgrounds. Saeki was moved to realize that "even without drawing skills, I can give shape to the images inside my head."
He used the AI notes feature to organize the layout combining story text and images. He repeatedly made fine adjustments — how much text to put on each page, how to position the images, which fonts to use.
Preparing the print-ready files was also handled entirely with free design tools. He had neither the budget nor the time to outsource, but with AI support he felt confident: "This will work."
On March 23, 2026, the first draft of the picture book — printed on his home printer — was complete. Saeki called his daughter over and turned through it page by page.
His daughter's eyes lit up. "Daddy, that's amazing! Did you really make this yourself?" Saeki felt tears welling up. A dream he had been telling himself he'd pursue "someday" for twenty years had taken shape in just one month.
The dream he thought he had abandoned hadn't truly been abandoned. He simply hadn't known how to get moving. AI became the tool that let him take that first step.
His daughter hugged the picture book and asked, "What's the next story going to be?" Saeki answered, "Let's think of one together."
Saeki is currently planning a read-aloud event at his local library. He wants to read his picture book to children and see how they respond. He has also begun thinking about his next work.
Every tool he used was free or very low cost. No special skills were required, and no expensive equipment. All that was needed was the feeling of "I want to try again."
A "dream you gave up on" isn't really over. With AI by your side, you can start moving again. Saeki's story proves it.
If there's something you've been telling yourself you'll do "someday," try spending just thirty minutes tonight talking it over with a conversational AI. That first step is closer than you think.
HAIIA's Three Pillars introduces in detail how to use AI for self-realization. HAIIA Certification also offers a program where you can systematically develop your AI skills. If you're nervous about starting alone, you can find others who share the same dream on the Find Community page.
In Saeki's case, everything was handled with free or low-cost tools. The conversational AI came to around 2,000 yen per month on a subscription plan, and the free tier of the image generation tool was sufficient. Printing was done on his home printer, so additional costs were nearly zero. Even if you opt for proper binding, you can commission a professional for roughly 1,000 to 3,000 yen per copy.
Yes, you can. Image generation tools create images based on text instructions (prompts) describing what you want. Things may not turn out as intended at first, but by adjusting your prompts through trial and error, you can get results close to your ideal. More important than drawing skill is the ability to put into words the kind of atmosphere and style you're looking for.
For commercial use of works that include AI-generated images, you will need to review each tool's terms of service. Many image generation tools permit personal use and small-scale sales, but there may be restrictions on large-scale commercial publishing. Some publishers also have their own policies regarding AI-generated content, so it is advisable to consult with them in advance. In many cases, self-publishing or selling as an e-book tends to be relatively unrestricted.
This article is reprinted from HAIIA Notes.