Already Have a Story?
If you've written your own story — a bedtime tale, a family tradition, or something your child loves — you can use Lullaby to turn it into a fully illustrated storybook. No need to start from scratch.
How It Works
Instead of describing a story idea in the prompt field, paste your actual story text and tell Lullaby to use it as-is.
Step 1: Paste Your Story
In the prompt field, start with a clear instruction, then write or paste your story page by page:
"Use this exact text in my story:
Page 1 — Lily found a tiny door behind the bookshelf in her room.
Page 2 — She crawled through and discovered a magical garden where the flowers could talk. 'Welcome!' said a sunflower named Sam.
Page 3 — Together they planted a rainbow seed and watched it grow into the tallest tree in the garden.
Page 4 — Lily climbed to the top of the tree and saw the whole magical world stretching out below her.
Page 5 — That night, Lily fell asleep smiling, knowing the garden would be waiting for her tomorrow."
Step 2: Add Illustration Instructions (Optional)
You can tell Lullaby exactly what each illustration should look like by adding instructions after your story text:
"Use this exact text in my story:
Page 1 — Lily found a tiny door behind the bookshelf in her room.
Page 2 — She crawled through and discovered a magical garden where the flowers could talk. 'Welcome!' said a sunflower named Sam.
Page 3 — Together they planted a rainbow seed and watched it grow into the tallest tree in the garden.
Page 4 — Lily climbed to the top of the tree and saw the whole magical world stretching out below her.
Page 5 — That night, Lily fell asleep smiling, knowing the garden would be waiting for her tomorrow.
Illustration instructions: Page 1 — Close-up of Lily kneeling by a small glowing door behind a bookshelf, warm bedroom lighting. Page 2 — A colorful garden full of talking flowers with big smiles, blue sky in the background. Page 3 — Lily and Sam the sunflower planting a shimmering rainbow seed, dirt on their hands. Page 4 — Wide shot from the treetop, Lily looking out at a sprawling magical landscape below. Page 5 — Lily tucked in bed, moonlight through the window, a small flower on her nightstand."
Illustration instructions describe the scene — characters, setting, camera angle, mood, and lighting. You don't need to describe the art style, that's handled by the style you choose.
Tips for Best Results
- Keep it short — The prompt field allows up to 2,000 characters. A 5-8 page story works best. If your story is longer, trim it to the key moments.
- Match the length to the age — For toddlers (1-3), aim for 4-6 pages with 1-2 sentences each. For ages 3-6, try 5-8 pages with 2-3 sentences. Older kids (6+) can handle longer pages.
- Use clear page breaks — If you want specific text on specific pages, separate your paragraphs clearly. Each paragraph typically becomes one page.
- Be specific with illustration notes — Describe the scene, not the style: characters, setting, mood, and action. You can skip illustration notes for pages where the text already paints a clear picture.
- Match your character names — If your story has characters, make sure to add them as character photos and use the same names in your story so they appear in the illustrations.
This approach also works great for family stories passed down through generations, stories written by older siblings, or adapting a child's own creative writing into a real illustrated book.
Good to Know
- The story will be split across pages automatically, but your text will be preserved exactly as written. Review the result and use Edit Mode for any final tweaks.
- If your story has conflict or tension, make sure it resolves — especially for bedtime stories, end on a calm, reassuring note.
- Try a short 4-page story first to see how it works before investing time in a longer one.
- All illustration styles work with custom stories — choose whichever style fits your story's mood.
See also: Use Edit Mode to fine-tune your text after generation, or explore the available art styles to find the perfect look for your story.