What can AI do for you? Let's find out.

How-To: Plan a Full Vacation in 15 Minutes

Planning a vacation involves dozens of open tabs and a lot of stress. This playbook will show you how to use an AI chatbot to plan an entire trip, from brainstorming to itinerary, in about 15 minutes.

The Goal

To create a complete 5-day vacation plan for a trip to Paris, France, including activity ideas and restaurant suggestions.

The Playbook (The Prompts)

Open your favorite chatbot and use these prompts. Remember to change the details!

Step 1: Brainstorming & Flights

Start broad to get ideas and narrow down your travel.

Act as an expert travel agent. 

I want to take a 5-day trip to Paris, France, in [early October]. My budget is around [$2,000] after flights. 

What are the top 5 "must-see" attractions, and what's a good neighborhood to stay in for a first-time visitor?

Step 2: Building the Itinerary

Once you have your "must-sees," ask the AI to build a logical plan.

That's great. Now, create a 5-day itinerary based on those attractions. 

Group activities by location to save travel time. For each day, include one "must-see" and one "hidden gem" activity. Also, suggest one budget-friendly spot for lunch each day.

Format this as a simple day-by-day list.

Step 3: Finding Food & Details

Get specific so you don't have to scramble for information when you're there.

This is perfect. For Day 1, can you give me 3 restaurant recommendations for dinner near the Eiffel Tower? 

One should be a casual bistro, one a bit more romantic, and one a good spot for just a drink.

Also, what's the best way to get from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport to the Le Marais neighborhood?

Beginner's Tip: The AI is your research assistant, not your travel agent. It can't *book* the flights, but it can give you the exact Google Flights link or the names of the airlines and hotels to search for. Always double-check prices and availability!

Next Lesson: Is AI Safe? →

How a Local Bakery Grew Their Business Using 3 Simple AI Tools

The Person

Meet Sarah, owner of 'The Flour Box' bakery. She loves baking and interacting with her customers, but she *hated* what she called "all the computer stuff"—especially marketing.

The Problem

Sarah knew she needed to post on Instagram and send emails to her customers, but it was a source of constant stress. "I would stare at a blank screen for an hour just trying to think of a caption," she says. "It was draining, and it took me away from the part of my job I actually love."

The AI Solution (The "How")

A friend showed Sarah how to use a simple AI chatbot. She was skeptical, but she tried three things:

Social Media: She asked the AI, "Act as a social media manager for a local bakery. Give me 10 Instagram post ideas for this week." The AI gave her a full list, like "A behind-the-scenes video of frosting a cake" and "A 'Customer of the Week' feature."
Marketing Emails: Instead of agonizing over her monthly newsletter, she now writes a few messy notes (e.g., "this month's special: pumpkin spice scone, 10% off on tuesdays") and prompts the AI: "Rewrite this as a friendly, 150-word newsletter. Make it sound warm and exciting."
New Ideas: She even used an AI image generator to brainstorm. She prompted, "a 'galaxy' themed cupcake with dark blue frosting and edible glitter," just to see what it would look like. It gave her an idea for a new design that became a bestseller.

The Result

"It's like having an assistant I don't have to pay," Sarah laughs. She now saves an estimated 5-10 hours every single week. "The best part isn't just the time," she says. "It's that I don't *dread* marketing anymore. I get the drafts from the AI, add my own personal touch, and I'm done in 20 minutes."

"Steal This Idea" (Links to Playbooks)

Want to do what Sarah did? Check out our 2-minute guides:

How-To: Write 10 Social Media Posts in 5 Minutes
How-To: Draft a Customer Newsletter
How-To: Design a 'Good Enough' Logo (or Cupcake!)

← Back to Basics

The #1 Skill: How to 'Talk' to an AI (aka 'Prompting')

Using an AI is a conversation. The **"prompt"** is just what you say. Learning to ask *good* questions is the most important skill you can have. It's the difference between getting useless junk and a perfect answer.

Let's learn the three basic rules.

Concept 1: Be Specific, Not Vague

An AI can't read your mind. You need to provide details and context.

Bad Prompt: Write about dogs. (You'll get a generic, boring encyclopedia article.)
Good Prompt: Write a 100-word summary of why golden retrievers make good family pets for a family with young children.

Concept 2: Give it a "Role" and a "Task"

This is the best trick. Tell the AI *who* to be and *what* to do. This helps it adopt the right tone and style.

Bad Prompt: Tell me about social media marketing.
Good Prompt: Act as an expert social media marketer. Your task is to give me 5 simple, low-cost ideas for a local bakery to promote its new fall menu on Instagram.

Concept 3: Ask for a Specific Format

Don't just accept a wall of text. Tell the AI *how* you want the answer delivered.

Put the answer in a bulleted list.
Format the response as a table with 3 columns.
Write the answer in a friendly, encouraging tone.
Write a simple 3-step plan.

Putting It All Together:

Here's a prompt that uses all three concepts:

Act as a personal chef.

Your task is to give me 3 quick dinner ideas for a busy weeknight. 

The ideas must be healthy, use chicken, and take less than 30 minutes to make.

Format the answer as a bulleted list. For each idea, list the main ingredients.

Key Takeaway: Don't be afraid to try again! If you don't get what you want, just rephrase your question. Tell the AI, "That's not quite right, try again but make it simpler" or "That's great, now put it in a table." You can't break it!

← Back to Basics

Is AI Safe? What Not to Share (A 2-Minute Read)

AI is generally safe to use, but it's important to treat it like a public conversation. Think of it as talking to a helpful stranger in a coffee shop—you wouldn't hand them your credit card or tell them your passwords.

The Golden Rule: Never Share Private Information

Most AI companies use your conversations (anonymously) to help train their models. You must assume that anything you type could *potentially* be seen by a human reviewer.

NEVER put this information into a chatbot:

❌ Passwords or financial information (credit card, bank account numbers)
❌ Social Security Numbers, driver's license numbers, or passport info
❌ Private work secrets (e.g., "Here is my company's secret customer list, please analyze it")
❌ Deeply personal medical history or private family secrets

So, What Is Safe to Share?

General questions, brainstorming, and non-personal data are all perfectly fine!

✅ "Help me write an email to my boss asking for Friday off."
✅ "Here is a paragraph I wrote, can you make it sound more professional?"
✅ "What are some good recipes for chicken and rice?"
✅ "Summarize this public news article: [paste article text]"

Key Takeaway: Be smart. Use AI for ideas and tasks, not as a private diary or a secure vault. Protect your personal data!

Your First 'Win': Try the Playbook →

← Back to Basics

Playbook: Your First 'Win' (Gift Ideas)

Let's put your new knowledge to work with a simple, 60-second task. Brainstorming is one of the best things to use AI for.

The Goal

We'll ask an AI to brainstorm 10 unique gift ideas for a specific person.

The Playbook (The Prompts)

Open your favorite chatbot (like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude) and copy-paste the prompt below. **Remember to change the details in brackets!**

Step 1: The Basic Prompt

This will give you a good-but-generic list.

Act as an expert gift-giver.

I need 10 gift ideas for my [nephew]. 
He is [14 years old] and loves [video games and skateboarding]. 
My budget is around [$50].

Put the ideas in a bulleted list.

Step 2: Refining the List (The Follow-up Prompt)

The first list is a great start. Now, let's refine it. Pick an idea you like and ask the AI to expand on it.

Those are great ideas. 

Can you tell me more about #3? 

Where could I buy that online? Give me 3 example links.

Step 3: Trying a Different Angle

What if you want something more original? Ask the AI to think outside the box.

Thanks. Can you give me 5 more ideas, but this time, focus on "experience" gifts instead of physical items?

Congratulations! You just used AI to do a task that might have taken you 30 minutes of stressful Googling. You've completed the "Basics" bootcamp!

← Back to the Homepage

How a Busy Mom of Three Now Plans Her Family's Week in 10 Minutes

The Person

Meet Maria, a mother of three young children who also works part-time. Her "mental load"—the invisible job of managing schedules, meals, and household logistics—was overwhelming.

The Problem

"Every Sunday night was the same," Maria says. "I'd sit with a notepad and try to figure out who needed to be where, what everyone was going to eat for dinner, and what groceries we needed. It was a 2-hour stress-fest, and I'd always forget something."

The AI Solution (The "How")

Maria started using an AI chatbot as her "personal assistant." She created one long, detailed prompt that she saves and re-uses every Sunday.

Here is a simplified version of her prompt:

Act as a professional family organizer. I need a plan for the upcoming week (Monday-Friday).

Here are the constraints:
1.  **Family:** 2 adults, 3 kids (ages 4, 7, 10).
2.  **Kids' Activities:**
    -   Tim (10) has soccer on Tues & Thurs at 6 PM.
    -   Jane (7) has piano on Wed at 4 PM.
3.  **Meal Preferences:** We need healthy, kid-friendly dinners. We don't like spicy food.
4.  **Goal:** Create a 5-day dinner plan AND a consolidated grocery list.

Format the output in two parts:
1.  A "Weekly At-a-Glance" table with columns for Day, Dinner, and Activity.
2.  A "Grocery List" broken down by category (Produce, Meat, Dairy, Pantry).

The Result

What used to take Maria two hours now takes her less than 10 minutes. "The AI gives me the 90% solution," she says. "Sometimes I'll swap a meal, but the *thinking* is done. The grocery list alone saves me so much time. It's honestly changed my weekends."

"Steal This Idea" (Links to Playbooks)

How-To: Create a Weekly Meal Plan & Shopping List
Lesson: Using AI as Your 'Personal Assistant'

Try It Out: The Weekly Meal Plan Playbook →

Lesson: Using AI as Your 'Personal Assistant'

An AI chatbot is the perfect personal assistant: it's instant, free, and you don't have to feel bad about giving it boring tasks. The key is to stop thinking of it as a "search engine" and start thinking of it as an *intern* you can delegate to.

Concept 1: The "Draft This for Me" Task

Stop staring at a blank email. Give the AI the bullet points and let it write the first draft. This works for emails, text messages, and planning notes.

Example Prompt: Write a polite email to my dentist, Dr. Smith. I need to reschedule my appointment from this Friday at 10 AM. Ask if they have any openings next week, preferably in the afternoon. My name is [Your Name].

Concept 2: The "Organize This Mess" Task

You can paste in a jumble of text, notes, or ideas and ask the AI to clean it up. This is a massive time-saver.

Example Prompt: Here are my notes from a meeting. Organize them into a simple summary with a list of action items: [Paste your messy notes].

Concept 3: The "Be My Brainstorming Partner" Task

Use the AI to break down big, overwhelming tasks into small, manageable steps. This is perfect for fighting procrastination.

Example Prompt: I need to clean my garage, but I'm overwhelmed. Break this down into a 5-step weekend plan.

Key Takeaway: The AI is a "doing" tool. Give it a **role** (e.g., "Act as an email assistant") and a **task** (e.g., "Draft an email..."). You can always edit the result, but it will get you 90% of the way there in seconds.

How-To: Create a Weekly Meal Plan & Shopping List

This playbook will help you generate a 5-day dinner plan and a perfectly organized shopping list in about two minutes.

The Goal

To get a 5-day dinner plan and a shopping list based on your family's preferences.

The Playbook (The Prompt)

This is a great "one-shot" prompt. Copy the template below, change the details in brackets, and paste it into your chatbot.

Act as a nutritionist and personal chef.

I need a 5-day dinner plan (Monday-Friday) for a family of [4].
Please follow these rules:
-   **Preferences:** We like [chicken, pasta, and Mexican food].
-   **Restrictions:** We do not like [mushrooms or very spicy food].
-   **Time:** All meals must be quick and take [less than 30 minutes] to prepare.

Please provide your answer in two parts:
1.  **The 5-Day Plan:** List the meal for each day with a 1-sentence description.
2.  **The Shopping List:** Create a consolidated shopping list for all 5 meals. Organize this list by grocery store category (Produce, Meat, Dairy, Pantry).

Follow-up Prompt (If you need a change)

Don't like one of the suggestions? Just ask for a swap.

This looks great, but I'd like to swap the meal for Wednesday. Can you replace it with a [vegetarian] option? Please update the shopping list as well.

Beginner's Tip: You can add any rule you want. Try adding "Budget: All meals must be low-cost" or "Leftovers: Please make sure Day 2's dinner uses leftovers from Day 1." The more specific you are, the better the result.

Story: How Sarah Used AI to Help Her Son with Homework

The Person

Meet Sarah, a parent whose 13-year-old son, Tom, was struggling with his 8th-grade history class. "He's a smart kid," Sarah says, "but he just finds history 'boring' and the textbook is so dry."

The Problem

Tom had to write a short essay on *The Federalist Papers*. He couldn't get through the dense, old-fashioned text and had no idea what to write. "He was frustrated, I was frustrated, and it was turning into a fight," Sarah explains.

The AI Solution (The "How")

Sarah, who had been using AI for work, had an idea. She sat down with Tom and opened a chatbot. (Note: She didn't ask it to *write the essay* for him, which would be cheating.)

First, she prompted:

Explain the main arguments of 'The Federalist Papers' like I'm 13 years old.

The AI gave a simple, clear summary. Tom started to get it. Then, Sarah had another idea based on Tom's interests.

Now, explain the conflict between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists as a rap battle.

The AI produced a surprisingly good (and funny) rap battle. Tom laughed and finally understood the "why." He was then able to take these concepts and write his *own* essay, using his own words.

The Result

Tom turned in his essay and got a B+. More importantly, the homework battle ended. "It's not about cheating," Sarah says. "It's about having a 'translator' for him. It can explain a complex topic in a way his textbook can't, which gives him the confidence to do the work himself."

"Steal This Idea" (Links to Playbooks)

Lesson: AI as Your 'Personal Tutor'
How-To: Summarize a Long Article or Video

Try It Out: Summarize a Long Article →

Lesson: AI as Your 'Personal Tutor'

Whether you're helping your kids or learning something new yourself, an AI is the most patient tutor in the world. It's available 24/7, and it's never annoyed when you ask it to explain something for the fifth time.

Concept 1: The "Explain It Differently" Trick

This is the most powerful feature. If you don't understand an explanation, just ask it to rephrase. This is where AI shines compared to a static textbook.

Explain photosynthesis like I'm 10 years old.
Explain the stock market using a simple analogy.
I don't understand. Can you explain that in a different way, focusing on [a specific part]?

Concept 2: The "Quiz Me" Function

After you've reviewed a topic, you can ask the AI to test your knowledge.

I'm studying for a test on the [American Civil War]. Ask me 10 multiple-choice questions about its main causes.
Give me 5 simple math problems for [a 4th grader] to practice fractions.

Concept 3: The "Socratic Method"

Instead of just giving you the answer, you can ask the AI to *guide* you to it. This is excellent for critical thinking.

I'm trying to solve [this math problem]. Don't give me the answer. Instead, ask me guiding questions to help me solve it myself.

Key Takeaway: Never use AI to *do the work* (like write an essay from scratch). Use it to *understand* the work. Use it as a translator, a summarizer, and a patient quiz-master.

How-To: Summarize a Long Article or Video

This playbook will save you hours of reading. You can use it on long news articles, confusing work documents, or even video transcripts.

The Goal

To get the key points from a long piece of text without having to read the whole thing.

The Playbook (The Prompt)

This is one of the easiest and most powerful prompts. Just copy the text of the article and paste it into the chatbot after the prompt.

Please summarize the following article for me. 

Start with a one-sentence summary, and then give me the 5 most important takeaways as a bulleted list.

Here is the article: [Paste the entire article text here]

How to Summarize a Video

You can do the same for YouTube videos!

On the YouTube video page, click the "..." (More) button below the player.
Click "Show transcript."
Copy the entire transcript.
Paste it into the chatbot with the same prompt: "Summarize this video transcript..."

Beginner's Tip: You can get more specific. Try asking, "Summarize this article *from the perspective of an investor*" or "Summarize this, but focus only on what [a specific person] said."

Try It Out: The 5-Minute Social Media Playbook →

Lesson: Writing Marketing Copy That Still Sounds Like You

A common complaint is that AI "sounds robotic." That's often true, but the secret is that AI shouldn't be the *writer*. It should be your *editor* or *assistant*. Your marketing should always have your voice.

Concept 1: The 80/20 Rule. AI Drafts, You Polish.

Don't ask the AI to write "a blog post about my bakery." It will be generic. Instead, write a quick, messy "brain dump" of your own ideas first, then ask the AI to clean it up.

Your messy draft: "our new scone is pumpkin spice. it's good. uses real pumpkin. available sept 1. pairs good with coffee."
Your Prompt: Rewrite this as a 100-word promotional email. Make the tone warm, friendly, and cozy. Use emojis.

The AI does the 80% (the "writing"), and you provide the 20% (the core ideas and the final polish).

Concept 2: Give It a "Voice"

Before you even give it the task, tell the AI *how* to sound. This is called a "persona."

Act as a professional but witty marketer.
Your tone should be encouraging, empathetic, and friendly.
Write this in a simple, direct way. Use short sentences. Avoid business jargon.

You can combine this with the task: "Act as a witty marketer. Write 3 tweets about our new dog-walking service."

Key Takeaway: Your "voice" is your most valuable asset in business. Don't give it away. Use AI to scale your ideas and clean up your drafts, but always give it the final read-through to make sure it sounds like you.

How-To: Write 10 Social Media Posts in 5 Minutes

This playbook is perfect for small business owners who know they *should* post on social media but never have the time or energy.

The Goal

To generate a week's worth of post ideas and draft captions for your business.

The Playbook (The Prompt)

Copy this template and edit the details for your business. This prompt is designed to give you a *variety* of post types, not just "buy my stuff."

Act as an expert social media manager. My business is a [local, independent bookstore].

I need 10 social media post ideas for Instagram for the upcoming week. 
The tone should be [friendly, intellectual, and community-focused].

Please include a mix of post types:
-   A post to educate my audience (e.g., a book recommendation).
-   A "behind-the-scenes" post (e.g., unboxing new books).
-   A post to engage my audience (e.g., a question).
-   A promotional post (e.g., a sale or new arrival).

For each of the 10 ideas, please write a short, engaging caption and suggest 3-5 relevant hashtags.

Follow-up Prompt

Once you get the list, you can dive deeper on your favorite one.

I love idea #2. Can you write 3 different caption options for that one? Make one shorter and funnier.

Beginner's Tip: This playbook works for *any* business. Just change "[local, independent bookstore]" to "[dog-walking service]", "[coffee shop]", or "[landscaping company]" and adjust the tone ("professional and trustworthy," "fun and energetic," etc.).

How-To: Draft a Customer Newsletter

Writing a monthly newsletter can feel like a huge task. This playbook helps you get a "good enough" first draft done in 60 seconds.

The Goal

To draft a short, effective customer newsletter based on your simple notes.

The Playbook (The Prompt)

The trick here is to *not* ask the AI to write from scratch. Give it your messy notes (the "what") and ask it to provide the polish (the "how").

Act as a professional email marketer with a friendly, warm tone.

Write a 150-word customer newsletter based on these notes.
-   **Subject Line:** Needs to be catchy.
-   **Main Point:** Our new [Fall Menu] is launching [October 1st].
-   **Details:** Highlight the [Pumpkin Spice Latte and Apple Croissant].
-   **Call to Action:** Ask them to come in and try the new items.
-   **Bonus:** Mention that our [patio is still open] on sunny days.

Format the output with a Subject Line and the Email Body.

Follow-up Prompt

Once you have the draft, you can easily tweak it.

That's perfect. Can you give me 5 more options for the Subject Line? Make them shorter and create a sense of urgency.

Beginner's Tip: This is a classic "80/20" task. The AI gives you an 80% complete draft. You just need to read it, add a personal sentence or two, and hit send. You'll have saved an hour of work.

Try It Out: Draft a Business Plan →

Lesson: What is 'AI Data Analysis' (The Simple Version)

"Data analysis" sounds intimidating, but it just means "finding patterns in information." You don't need spreadsheets or code. You can use a chatbot to find insights in plain text.

Concept 1: Analyzing Customer Feedback

Let's say you have 20 reviews for your business from Google or Yelp. It's hard to see the common themes. You can paste them all into an AI and ask simple questions.

Example Prompt: I'm going to paste 20 customer reviews for my coffee shop. After I'm done, I want you to tell me: 1. What are the top 3 things people *like*? 2. What are the top 3 things people *complain about*? 3. Give me 3 simple, actionable suggestions for improvement based on this feedback. Here are the reviews: [Paste all 20 reviews]

Concept 2: Summarizing Sales Data

You can even use it with simple numbers. If you have a list of sales from your online store, you can paste it in.

Example Prompt: Here is a list of my sales from last month: - Blue T-Shirt: 45 sales - Red Hat: 12 sales - Green Socks: 8 sales - Blue Hoodie: 30 sales - Red T-Shirt: 20 sales Based on this, what is my best-selling *product*? And what is my best-selling *color*?

The AI will instantly tell you that the "Blue T-Shirt" is the top product and "Blue" (with 75 total sales) is the top color.

Key Takeaway: AI is a powerful tool for spotting patterns that you might miss. You can "talk" to your data instead of getting lost in it. (Just remember the AI Safety lesson: don't paste sensitive customer names or financial data!).

How-To: Draft a Business Plan for Your New Idea

This playbook is for anyone with a "someday" idea. Instead of just dreaming, you can use AI to create a simple, actionable outline in just a few minutes.

The Goal

To get a simple, structured business plan outline that helps you think through the most important parts of your idea.

The Playbook (The Prompt)

This prompt asks the AI to act as a consultant and, most importantly, asks it to frame the output as *questions for you to answer*. This turns a passive document into an active worksheet.

Act as a small business consultant.

I have a new business idea: [a local dog-walking service in my neighborhood].

I need a simple 5-part business plan outline. 
For each part of the outline, please give me 3-5 key questions I need to answer to build out that section.

The 5 parts should be:
1.  Executive Summary (The "Elevator Pitch")
2.  Services (What I'm Selling)
3.  Target Market (Who My Customers Are)
4.  Marketing Plan (How I'll Find Customers)
5.  Simple Finances (How I'll Make Money)

Follow-up Prompt

Once you have the outline, you can drill down.

That's a great start. Let's focus on Part 4: Marketing Plan.

Can you give me 10 simple, low-cost ideas for how a new dog-walking service could find its first 10 customers?

Beginner's Tip: A business plan doesn't need to be a 50-page document. Answering these key questions on a single sheet of paper is often all you need to figure out if your idea is worth pursuing.

How a Retiree with 'No Artistic Skill' Started Creating Digital Art

The Person

Meet David, a 68-year-old retired history teacher. "I've always loved art," David says, "I've been to every museum. But I have zero artistic skill. I can't even draw a convincing stick figure."

The Problem

David had ideas in his head—vivid scenes from the history books he loved, or fantasy landscapes—but he had no way to express them. He'd tried painting classes and felt clumsy and frustrated.

The AI Solution (The "How")

David's son showed him an "AI Image Generator" (like Midjourney or DALL-E). He was fascinated. He didn't need to learn to paint; he needed to learn to *describe*. He started "prompting" his ideas.

His first prompt was simple:

a medieval castle on a hill during a thunderstorm

The results were amazing. He was hooked. He started getting more descriptive, learning to use "style" keywords:

an oil painting of a lighthouse in a storm, in the style of Van Gogh

a photorealistic image of a Roman centurion walking through a forest

a colorful cartoon illustration of a friendly dragon for a children's book

The Result

David now has a new, passionate hobby. He's not selling his art, but he prints his favorite creations. He's made custom storybook illustrations for his grandkids and even printed a canvas of a "photograph" of a historical event (that never actually existed) for his office.

"It's pure creation," David says. "For the first time in my life, the images in my head can come out. I may not be an artist, but I feel like a director."

"Steal This Idea" (Links to Playbooks)

Lesson: How 'Image Generation' Works (In 2 Minutes)
How-To: Create Illustrations for a Story

Try It Out: Create a Storybook Illustration →

Lesson: How 'Image Generation' Works (In 2 Minutes)

AI Image Generators (like DALL-E, Midjourney, or Stable Diffusion) are tools that create images from text descriptions. You don't "draw," you "prompt."

How Does It Work?

Just like a chatbot learned the relationship between words, these AIs learned the relationship between *words* and *pictures*. They were trained on billions of (image, text-description) pairs from the internet. When you type a prompt, the AI "dreams" up a new image that best fits that description.

Concept 1: Be (Very) Descriptive

Vague prompts get vague images. The more detail, the better.

Bad Prompt: a dog
Good Prompt: a photorealistic image of a happy golden retriever, sitting in a field of yellow flowers, with its tongue out.

Concept 2: Style is Everything

The most important part of your prompt is the *style*. This tells the AI *how* to make the image.

Try adding these phrases to the *end* of your prompt:

...in the style of an oil painting.
...in the style of a children's book illustration.
...in the style of a 1980s cartoon.
...pixel art.
...a black and white logo, vector, minimal.
...unreal engine, cinematic lighting. (for realistic video-game looks)

Key Takeaway: The skill is not drawing; it's *describing*. Start with a simple idea, then add details about the **subject**, the **setting**, and the **style**. Experiment and have fun!

How-To: Create Illustrations for a Story

This playbook is perfect for parents, grandparents, or anyone who wants to create unique art for a children's story (or just for fun!).

The Goal

To create a simple, charming illustration of a storybook character.

The Playbook (The Prompt)

The key to good illustrations is to be very specific about the *style* and *subject*. "Children's book" is a great keyword.

Prompt for a Character

Use this template to create your main character.

a cute, friendly cartoon rabbit wearing a blue jacket and little glasses.

He is standing in a magical forest.

simple illustration style for a children's book, bright colors, on a white background.

Prompt for a Scene

Once you have your character, you can place them in different scenes.

The same cartoon rabbit in the blue jacket is now sitting at a tiny wooden table, having a tea party with a squirrel.

children's book illustration, whimsical, warm lighting.

Beginner's Tip: Keeping your character "consistent" (looking the same in every image) is hard. The best trick is to be *very* specific in your description every time: "a cartoon rabbit with *white fur, a blue jacket, and round glasses*." The more unique details you repeat, the closer the AI will get.

How-To: Design a 'Good Enough' Logo

You don't need to hire a designer for your hobby club, side hustle, or fantasy football team. You can use AI to generate a "good enough" logo in 30 seconds.

The Goal

To create a simple, clean, minimal logo for a book club.

The Playbook (The Prompt)

The secret to logos is using the keywords "minimal," "vector," "logo," and "black and white." This tells the AI to avoid complex, photorealistic images.

a minimal, modern logo for a book club.

The logo should be a simple icon of [an open book and a coffee mug].

2D vector style, black and white, on a plain white background.

More Examples

You can swap out the subject for anything.

a minimal, modern logo for a [gardening club]. The logo should be a simple icon of [a single sprout in a circle]. 2D vector style, black and white.

a minimal, modern logo for a [fantasy football team] called the "Gridiron Goblins." The logo should be a [a simple, tough-looking goblin face inside a football shape]. 2D vector style.

Beginner's Tip: AI is not great at writing *text*. The logo it creates might have garbled, nonsense words. That's okay! Your prompt is for the *icon*. You can then save the image and add your own text using a simple, free tool like Canva or even Microsoft Paint.

Try It Out: Get New Hobby Ideas →

Lesson: Using AI to Overcome the 'Blank Page'

"Writer's block" is just the fear of the blank page. An AI is the perfect tool to overcome it, whether you're writing a poem, a blog post, or just a journal entry. It helps you get *something* down on paper.

Concept 1: The "Idea Machine"

The hardest part is often the first idea. Use the AI as an infinite idea generator.

I want to write a blog post about [my gardening hobby]. Give me 10 ideas for topics that a beginner would find interesting.
Give me 5 creative ideas for [a kid's birthday party].
What are 10 different opening lines I could use for a [short story about a detective]?

Concept 2: The "First Draft"

Once you have an idea, just ask the AI to write a *bad* first draft. It's much easier to *edit* something than to *create* it from nothing.

Write a 100-word intro paragraph for a blog post titled "5 Easy Vegetables for Your First Garden."
Write a short, 4-line poem about [a rainy day].

You can then take this, delete what you don't like, and add your own words. You've beaten the blank page.

Concept 3: The "Brainstorming Partner"

Sometimes you just need to talk it out. You can use the AI as a sounding board.

I'm trying to write a 'thank you' note to my aunt for a gift, but I want it to sound sincere. What are some key things I should be sure to say?

Key Takeaway: Don't expect the AI to write a masterpiece for you. Use it to do the "boring" part: generating the initial ideas or the first messy draft so you can focus on the fun part—making it your own.