Frequently asked questions

Getting Started

What is Story Quest?

Story Quest is an AI-powered platform that lets parents create personalised, interactive storybooks starring their child as the hero. You choose the theme and adventure — our AI writes a unique story featuring your child's name, friends, and interests, then generates beautiful illustrations to match.

Who is Story Quest designed for?

Story Quest is designed for parents and guardians of children aged 3–12. Accounts are created by adults (18+), who then create child profiles and generate stories for their children. We support three age ranges: 3–5 years (simple picture-book style), 6–8 years (adventurous, funny, Roald Dahl-inspired), and 9–12 years (richer middle-grade fiction with chapter book option).

How do I get started?

Simply create a free account, add your child's profile (name, age range, and optional friends), then choose a theme and start your first story. Your first story is generated in under a minute. No credit card is required to get started. Every new account receives 3 bonus credits on signup to help you explore the platform.

Is Story Quest free?

Yes — we offer a free plan that includes 2 story credits per month at no charge. New accounts also receive 3 bonus credits on signup, giving you 5 credits to start with. If you'd like more stories, you can upgrade to a paid plan for more monthly credits, or purchase additional credit packs. Check our pricing page for the latest plans.

Stories & Credits

What is a credit?

A credit is used each time you create a story. Standard stories (interactive adventures with a cover image and up to 5 scene illustrations) cost 1 credit. Fully Illustrated stories (cover + up to 12 scene images) cost 2 credits. Chapter Books cost 1 credit. Credits reset monthly on your billing date.

What story lengths are available?

For interactive adventures, you can choose Short (6 pages, 3 choice points), Medium (10 pages, 4 choice points), or Long (14 pages, 5 choice points). Chapter Books are always approximately 25 pages of continuous narrative.

What themes are available?

We offer a growing library of themed adventures including Space Adventure, Underwater Kingdom, Enchanted Forest, Dinosaur World, Pirate Treasure, Fairy Tale Castle, Superhero Mission, Time Travel, AFL Star, NRL Champion, and Soccer Hero. You can also enter a completely custom theme of your choosing!

What is the story tone selector?

When creating a story, you can choose the emotional flavour: Adventure (fast-paced, exciting), Funny (silly and laugh-out-loud), Magical (wonder and enchantment), Heartwarming (friendship and kindness), or Mysterious (suspense and discovery). The tone works on top of the theme — so you could have a funny pirate adventure or a mysterious enchanted forest!

What is a Chapter Book?

Chapter Books are longer, more literary stories exclusively available for 9–12 year olds. They're approximately 25 pages of continuous narrative (no branching choices), and you set three plot decisions before the story begins to help guide the AI. Think of them as mini novels starring your child. They include a cover image and cost 1 credit.

Personalisation & Characters

How does personalisation work?

When you create a child profile, you enter your child's name, age range, and optionally up to three friends' names. You can also describe your child's appearance (skin tone, hair colour, style) and their friends' appearances. The AI weaves these details into the story naturally — your child becomes the brave hero, their friends appear as supporting characters, and the illustrations reflect their descriptions.

Can I use a nickname instead of my child's real name?

Absolutely. We encourage you to use whatever name you'd like the hero to have — it could be your child's real name, a nickname, or even a made-up hero name. The same applies to friends.

Can I change the characters just for one story?

Yes! When you start a new story, you can customise the hero's name and friends specifically for that story without changing the saved child profile. This is great for creating stories with different characters or swapping in a cousin who's visiting.

Images & Illustrations

How are illustrations generated?

Illustrations are created using state-of-the-art AI image generation. Each scene image is created to match the story text and character descriptions. Cover images are generated to capture the spirit of the full story. Images are generated in the background after your story is created — you'll see them appear automatically as you read.

What is the difference between Standard and Illustrated?

Standard stories include a cover image plus up to 5 key scene illustrations. Illustrated stories include a cover plus up to 12 scene images — almost every page has an illustration, creating a true picture-book experience. Illustrated stories cost 2 credits.

Downloading & Sharing

Can I download my story as a PDF?

Yes! Once a story is complete, you can download it as a beautifully formatted PDF — perfect for printing, saving, or sending to grandparents. PDFs include all story pages and illustrations.

Can I share stories with family members?

Yes — every completed story can be shared via a unique public link. Anyone with the link can read the story without needing a Story Quest account. This is ideal for sharing with grandparents, relatives, or your child's teacher.

Can I edit a story after it's created?

Yes! You can edit any page of a completed story. Whether you want to personalise a detail, correct something, or make the story even more special, our editor lets you update individual pages. You can also regenerate specific pages if you'd prefer a different take.

Safety & Privacy

Is Story Quest safe for my child?

Absolutely. Our AI is instructed to produce only age-appropriate content and actively avoids violence, adult themes, scary content (especially for younger ages), and any sensitive or harmful material. Stories are written for children, not adults. Parent accounts are password-protected and children do not have direct access to the Service.

What information do you store about my child?

We store only the information you provide in the child profile: first name (or nickname), age range, and optional appearance descriptors and friend names. We do not store last names, photos, addresses, dates of birth, or any sensitive identifying information. We do not use child information for advertising or profiling. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

Can I delete my account and data?

Yes. You can request account deletion at any time by contacting us at hello@thestoryquest.com. We will delete your account and all associated data (including child profiles and stories) within 30 days.

Account & Billing

How do I cancel my subscription?

You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period — you'll keep your plan benefits until then. You won't be charged again after cancellation.

What happens to my stories if I cancel?

Your stories and child profiles remain accessible for the duration of your current billing period. After that, you'll revert to the free plan. We recommend downloading any stories you'd like to keep as PDFs before your plan expires.