Step-by-Step Guide

From Idea to Published Content in Days, Not Months

The complete workflow for creators: Turn your ideas into professional-quality images, stories, and videos—then publish to your audience. All using AI and your dashboard.

10 min read • Complete Workflow • December 2025

Imagine this: You have an amazing idea for a book, blog series, or content campaign. Traditionally, here's what happens:

The Old Way (Months of Work)

Month 1: Plan the story and outline (20+ hours)

Month 2-3: Write the first draft (80-120 hours)

Month 4: Edit and revise (40-60 hours)

Month 5: Find an illustrator/designer (2-3 weeks waiting)

Month 6: Generate cover and illustrations (2-4 weeks)

Month 7: Design book layout (20-30 hours)

Month 8: Navigate publishing and distribution (10-20 hours)

Total: 8 months, 200+ hours, $5,000-15,000

The New Way (Days of Work)

Day 1: Generate story concept and outline using AI (2 hours)

Day 2: Create illustrations and visual assets (3 hours)

Day 3: Edit and perfect content using dashboard tools (4 hours)

Day 4: Design layout and prepare for publishing (2 hours)

Day 5: Publish and market to your audience (2 hours)

Total: 5 days, 13 hours, $0-200

1Phase 1: Ideation & Planning (2-4 Hours)

The first phase is about clarifying your vision and creating a blueprint for your content.

Step 1: Define Your Core Concept

Ask yourself:

  • What's my core idea? (1 sentence summary)
  • Who's my audience? (target reader/viewer)
  • What format? (book, blog series, social content)
  • What's the goal? (entertainment, education, monetization)
Step 2: Create Your Project Blueprint

Write down your project specifics:

Title: ________________________

Type: Story / Image Series / Blog / Video

Length: Short / Medium / Long

Audience: ________________________

Key message: ________________________

Visual style: ________________________

Tone: Professional / Casual / Educational / Entertaining

Step 3: Outline Your Content

Create a simple outline (5-10 key points maximum):

1. __________________________

2. __________________________

3. __________________________

4. __________________________

5. __________________________

Pro Tip: Use AI to expand your outline. Paste it into your dashboard prompt and ask for a detailed breakdown.

Time Estimate: 2-4 hours depending on project complexity

2Phase 2: Content Creation (4-8 Hours)

Now it's time to create. This is where your dashboard becomes your creative partner.

ACreating Story/Text Content

Using Your Dashboard:

  1. 1. Go to /create-story or /create-long-story
  2. 2. Input your outline and content requirements
  3. 3. Select "Generate Story" and wait 2-3 minutes
  4. 4. Review the generated content
  5. 5. Make edits directly in your gallery or export to Google Docs

Time: 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on content length

BCreating Visual Assets

Using Your Dashboard:

  1. 1. Go to /create for image generation
  2. 2. Create detailed prompts for each image
  3. 3. Generate and review (takes 30-60 seconds per image)
  4. 4. Use Image Editor to refine if needed
  5. 5. Save to your gallery

Time: 1-3 hours depending on number of images needed

CPro Workflow: Create Illustrated Stories

For maximum impact, use the illustrated story feature for automatic character-consistent art alongside your narrative.

Using Your Dashboard:

  1. 1. Go to /create-long-story
  2. 2. Select "Illustrated Story" option
  3. 3. Input your story details and character info
  4. 4. System generates story + character-consistent illustrations
  5. 5. Download complete illustrated book (PDF ready)

Time: 30 minutes to 2 hours (all-in-one creation)

Time Estimate: 4-8 hours for complete content creation (image + story + video if included)

3Phase 3: Editing & Refinement (2-4 Hours)

Polish your content until it's perfect. This is where your vision comes alive.

Edit Your Story/Content
  • Read through completely. What works? What needs improvement?
  • Remove repetition and tighten language
  • Inject your unique voice and personality
  • Check facts and accuracy
  • Proofread for grammar and spelling
Refine Your Images

Use the image editor to make targeted improvements:

  • Adjust colors or brightness
  • Remove or replace elements (using inpainting)
  • Regenerate specific regions
  • Resize or crop for specific platforms
Iterate Until Perfect

Don't be afraid to regenerate sections or entire pieces. Professional creators often iterate 5-10 times. Each iteration gets closer to your vision.

Time Estimate: 2-4 hours for thorough editing and refinement

4Phase 4: Preparation for Publishing (1-2 Hours)

Prepare Different Formats

For Books

Export as PDF with formatted layout. Prepare cover image (1000x1500px minimum). Ready for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, etc.

For Social Media

Export images in platform-specific sizes: Instagram (1080x1080), TikTok (1080x1920), LinkedIn (1200x627), Twitter (1200x675)

For Blogs

Export story as .docx or .txt. Images as WebP for web (optimized file size)

For Email

Create preview images (600px width). Export story as HTML for email distribution

Write Your Publishing Materials
  • Title: Make it compelling and searchable (books: 5-10 words, blog posts: 50-60 characters)
  • Description: 100-200 word summary that sells the content
  • Tags/Keywords: 5-10 relevant terms for discoverability
  • Cover Copy: Hook readers in the first 2 sentences
  • Meta Description: 155 characters for search engines

Time Estimate: 1-2 hours for format conversion and marketing copy

5Phase 5: Publishing & Promotion (2-3 Hours)

Publish to Your Channels
Self-Published Books: Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital
Blog Posts: Your website, Medium, Substack, Ghost
Social Content: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter
Community: Share in OpenArt Studio showcase gallery
Launch Your Promotion Campaign
  • • Post on social media with engaging captions
  • • Share in relevant communities and forums
  • • Send to your email list (if you have one)
  • • Ask early readers for reviews and feedback
  • • Create teaser content highlighting your creation
  • • Engage with comments and questions

Pro Tip: The first 48 hours are critical. Focus your promotional effort here. Most books and content see their biggest initial spike in the first 2 days.

Time Estimate: 2-3 hours for publishing and initial promotion push

Complete Timeline Overview

Phase 1: Planning2-4 hours
Phase 2: Content Creation4-8 hours
Phase 3: Editing & Refinement2-4 hours
Phase 4: Preparation1-2 hours
Phase 5: Publishing2-3 hours
Total Time11-21 Hours (1-3 Days)

Compare to traditional publishing: 8+ months and $5,000-15,000

Expert Tips for Success

Batch Your Work

Create 5-10 pieces of content at once. It's more efficient than creating one piece at a time, and you'll maintain consistency across your series.

Maintain a Content Calendar

Plan when you'll publish. Consistent schedule helps audiences know when to expect new content.

Save Your Prompts

Keep a library of successful prompts. Reuse and remix them for similar content pieces.

Gather Feedback Early

Share with beta readers or friends before final publication. Their feedback improves quality.

Repurpose Content

One story becomes: blog post, social media series, email newsletter, and more.

Iterate & Improve

Each content piece teaches you something. Apply learnings to your next project.

Ready to Go From Idea to Published?

You have an idea. You have the tools. Now it's time to create something amazing. Start your first project today.

Learn More