Own product · AI products
Turn a simple idea into a complete story with AI
Picstone is my AI story generator: people give it a few ideas and get a complete story back. I designed and built it, from the input flow to the reading view and the prompts behind them. It reached 107K+ views and 11K+ users, and ranked Top 5 in a Gen-AI hackathon.
01The problem
Asking an AI for a story from a blank prompt gives flat, generic results, and most people don’t know what to type. A story tool has to help people say what they want without feeling like a form, then present the story so it’s a pleasure to read.
Who it’s for
Curious users
A good story from a simple idea, without writing a prompt.
Parents and teachers
Fresh stories on a chosen theme to read with children.
Aspiring writers
A quick draft or spark to build on.
02The main flow
01
Pick a theme
02
Add characters and setting
03
Generate the story
04
Read the story
05
Share or try again
03Structure
Home
Create
Story
Library
04Key decisions
Decision 01
A blank prompt box leaves most people stuck, and short prompts give generic stories.
Considered
A single text box where users describe the story they want.
Chosen
Users pick a few story elements and can add one line of their own; the app turns them into a full prompt behind the scenes.
Why it works
Choosing is easier than writing, and it gives the model the structure it needs. The free-text line keeps room for imagination.
Decision 02
Most AI tools show output in a chat thread, which makes a story feel like a reply rather than something to read.
Considered
A chat interface where the story arrives as a message.
Chosen
Stories open in a clean reading view with a title, comfortable type and space, and the controls kept out of the way.
Why it works
A story is meant to be read, so the page should look like a page, not a conversation.
Decision 03
AI stories vary, and people often like their idea but not the result.
Considered
Sending users back to the start to change their inputs.
Chosen
The story view keeps the inputs one tap away, so people can change one element or regenerate with the same choices.
Why it works
Trying again is the fun part of a generator. Making it cheap keeps people exploring instead of leaving.
05What’s inside
Turns a few ideas into a complete story with a beginning, middle and end.
Theme, character and setting choices replace the blank prompt.
Presents each story as a clean page made for reading.
Changes one element or tries again without starting over.
Sends a finished story to friends with a link.
06How it was built
I designed it and wrote the code, so the design survived contact with reality.
Interface
Services
AI
Data
07Outcome
Delivered
What I learned
Good AI output starts with good input design. Guided choices did more than prompt tricks.
Putting my own product in front of real users showed me how much a first-time visitor needs one clear first step.
Next step
Pick a time that suits you. You'll leave the call with a clear next step, whether we work together or not.
