In 2023, the internet had a fever. And no, it wasn’t a funny animal video this time. It was the idea of using ChatGPT to write children’s books and selling them online. TikTok was full of sixty seconds clips where people claimed to write books in hours and earn hundreds on Amazon. YouTube joined in too, with titles like “How I Made $5,000 With One AI Book” and “Passive Income with ChatGPT.” It looked too good to be true. But is it?
This article goes deep. We’ll break down what makes this side hustle attractive, what really happens behind the scenes, and whether you should Follow the crowd or run the other way. Don’t worry, we’ll keep it fun!
Chapter 1: Why Everyone Thinks It’s a Shortcut to Easy Money
Let’s be honest. Who wouldn’t want to write a kid’s book without, well, actually writing it? AI like ChatGPT makes it feel like magic. You type, “Write me a story about a bunny who learns to dance,” and BAM—there it is. Cute, short, and rhymes (sometimes).
Pair that story with free illustrations from tools like DALLE, Midjourney, or Canva, and you’ve got yourself a product.
Then comes Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). You upload your book, set a price, and you’re a published author. It feels like you’re cheating the system in the most stylish way possible—like sci-fi meets side hustle.
TikTokers like @thetruthfulmom shared videos with thousands of views, showing how they published books with AI in less than a day (Source). The vibe was: if you can type, you can hustle.
But what they don’t show is…
Chapter 2: Behind the Curtain – The Real Work
So, here’s what you might not hear in those videos:
- ChatGPT doesn’t always nail it.
- Sometimes it writes boring or repetitive stories.
- You often need to edit. A lot. Like, a lot a lot.
- AI illustrations? Not perfect.
- Midjourney makes beautiful images… unless you want consistent characters across pages. Then good luck!
- Some tools make kids with six fingers or animals with three eyes.
- KDP isn’t magic.
- Just because you upload a book doesn’t mean people will find it.
- SEO, categories, cover design—all that stuff matters. A lot.
Chapter 3: Let’s Talk About the Good Stuff
It is not as easy as you think.
- Low startup cost: Most tools are free or cheap. You don’t need to hire illustrators or editors.
- Speed: You can go from idea to book in a weekend. Not perfect, but published.
- Global reach: Amazon KDP puts your book in front of a worldwide audience.
- Learning curve? Manageable. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to figure things out.
And hey, even if your book doesn’t sell a million copies, it feels cool to hold something you “made.”
Chapter 4: The Not-So-Good Stuff
Now for the meh parts.
- The Market is Flooded
Everyone and their cousin are trying this side hustle. As of 2024, over 3,000 AI-generated children’s books were uploaded monthly on Amazon (Source: The Sun). It’s noisy. Hard to stand out unless your book is really different.
- AI Isn’t Always Ethical
Remember that viral book “Alice and Sparkle” by Ammaar Reshi? He used ChatGPT and Midjourney to make a kids’ book in 72 hours. Cool? Maybe. But artists and authors didn’t love it. They said it devalues human creativity and steals from original art styles.
- Quality Control
Kids’ books are short, yes. But good ones? They rhyme, they teach, they make kids laugh or think. AI might not always get that tone right.
Also, grammar. Ironically, even this article has a few grammar errors. Some on purpose. To sound, you know, real.
Chapter 5: Meet the Hustlers – Real People, Real Stories
The Go-Getter:
Arianna Momari reportedly earned over £18,000 in a few months with coloring books made using Canva and published on KDP. That’s not peanuts. But she didn’t just publish and pray. She researched trends, made ads, and worked it like a business. (Source: TikTok)
The Struggler:
Many Reddit users on forums like r/selfpublish tried uploading AI-made books. Most of them didn’t sell more than 10 copies. Why? Zero marketing. Generic titles. No understanding of what parents/kids actually want.
Conclusion
Let’s not lie. Making AI children’s books is fun. It’s a little weird, a little wild, and kind of amazing. But it’s not easy. At least, not if you want to do it well.
In the end, AI can help you get there faster. But heart, humor, and hustle? That still got to come from you.
So, write away. Just don’t forget to bring your human with you.
