Story Guide

From two photos to a story they'll treasure

Follow Maya and her cat Nimbus through the Story Creator, and pick up the tips that make a book feel unmistakably theirs along the way.

Begin the journey

1
Stop 1
Choose the right photos
Every illustration is drawn from the photo you upload, so it's the single most important choice you make. The Story Creator checks each photo and tells you if something could be better.
- A recent head-and-shoulders photo. The face should fill a good part of the picture, not just a corner of it.
- One face only. Crop out friends, family and strangers in the background.
- Looking toward the camera, with the head only slightly turned.
- Nothing covering the face: no sunglasses, masks, hands, hats or hair over the eyes.
- Even light, sharp focus and no beauty filters. Any recent phone photo is sharp enough.
Nadia
Like this
Not like this
- Too dark
- Too far away
- Several people
- Face covered
2
Stop 2
Room for six
Add up to six people and pets as main characters, each with a name, pronouns and their own photo. Four or fewer keeps the illustrations at their most consistent.
- Not every loved one needs to be a main character. Mention them in your answers and they can still appear in the story.
- Give every character a distinct name, so both you and the story can always tell them apart.
- Pets can be main characters too!
Main characters
7. 1–4 · Best results
8. 5–6 · Higher risk
Worth knowing
Every main character has to be redrawn correctly in every illustration, and that gets harder with each one you add. With five or six, faces are more likely to blend together or swap between characters from page to page.
3
Stop 3
Choose the look
Four illustration styles, each with its own mood. Maya's book uses 3D Animated for a glowing, cinematic night.
Not sure which fits? Browse the sample books on our homepage to see each style in print.
- 3D Animated
- Watercolor
- Claymation
- Anime
4
Stop 4
Share what makes them them
The AI only knows what you tell it. Where your answers are vague, it has to guess, and guesses rarely feel personal. So share as much as you can, and say it plainly.
- VagueAnna is kind and loves animals.
  ClearAnna carries every snail off the pavement after it rains, and names each one Gary.
- VagueOur special place.
  ClearThe bench by Lake Constance where Tom proposed to Anna in June 2019.
- VagueHe always calls her by her nickname.
  ClearTom calls Anna “Pebble” because she brings home a stone from every beach they visit.
- Use names instead of “he”, “she” or “my friend”, so it's always clear who does what.
- Spell out relationships and ages: “Lena, my 34-year-old sister” rather than “my sis”.
- Explain inside jokes. The story can only use what it understands.
- Say what must stay true and what to leave out. “Nothing” is a useful answer too.
- Watch the detail meter under each answer and aim for “Wonderfully vivid”.
- Prefer talking? Tap Dictate and tell it like you would to a friend.
What Maya's family wrote
- Wears bright yellow rain boots whenever she can and counts to five when she feels nervous.
- Nimbus has a crooked white whisker and sits on anything Maya has just put down.
- A rainy-day blanket fort she still calls their “coziest headquarters.”
…and what it became
Shortcut
Let your AI assistant write the first draft
If you use an AI assistant with memory, like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, it may already know you well. Ask it for a personal description, then paste it into the Story Creator.
Based on what you remember about me, write a short, warm description of me for a personalized book. Include my age or stage of life, what fills my days, what I love, a habit or phrase people know me for, and one small memorable moment. Keep it under 120 words and leave out anything too private to print.
Read it through, correct anything outdated, and only share what you're happy to see in print.
5
Stop 5
Preview before you order
We plan the story and create your book cover. Not quite right? Adjust your answers and try again. Nothing is printed until you're happy.
- Review your cover, then add the book to your order.
Story preview
A cozy, gently suspenseful moonlit adventure in which an ordinary apartment, balcony garden and familiar park become a glowing hidden world of signs, friendly creatures and small wonders.
Stop 6
Their story, in print
A one-of-a-kind book with their faces, their habits and their memories on every page, printed and delivered to your door.
Read Maya's full sample book