Hi, I'm Shingo Suzuki, also known as Suzushin.
In my article about starting to publish on note, I wrote that I'd hardly tried anything specifically to earn money. Since then, I've taken on another monetization challenge.
I made Shiba Inu LINE stickers and started selling them.
Using AI, I got through review and reached the sales launch. Here's an honest account of how it happened.
Why make LINE stickers?
The main reason was wanting a source of income from something I'd already created.
Make something once, and it can keep earning as long as it sells. I'd long been interested in that model. I also wondered whether AI might let someone like me, without illustration skills, make something fairly easily.
I started with ChatGPT, but it was tedious
The first thing I worked on was a Shiba Inu character.
I strongly associated image generation with ChatGPT. Before using Claude Code, I'd also spent a period mainly using ChatGPT myself. So I began generating the illustrations one at a time there.
Honestly, it was a lot of work. A sticker set needs different expressions, poses, and phrases. Repeatedly generating one image, checking it, generating another, and checking again was surprisingly tiring.
Switching to Codex made things easier
As I worked, I realized: perhaps Codex could partly automate this.
After switching, steps I'd handled individually could proceed together, substantially reducing the workload. I was honestly surprised how different the same basic task—making AI images—could feel simply by changing tools.
Review took a little over a day
LINE stickers are reviewed before going on sale. I was worried about whether AI-generated illustrations would pass.
They did: a little over a day after submission, the set was approved. It went more smoothly than expected, so I'm relieved for now.
Right now, the only sale is my own purchase
Let me be honest. I've only just started selling, and so far the only purchase is the one I made myself.
This attempt at income from a reusable product has only just begun.
I've submitted a few more variations besides the Shiba Inu set, and they're awaiting review. Perhaps a wider selection will bring a different response.
I'll keep recording this honestly
As I wrote before, I often make things easier to continue by announcing them publicly when I lack confidence. These LINE stickers are another example.
By sharing the situation honestly, including the lack of sales so far, I'm trying to make it harder for myself to quit halfway.
Taking on challenges, learning my way through them, and trying to turn my life around.
Alongside chess, the Game Workshop, and programming, I plan to keep documenting this new attempt at product-based income. When the additional sets pass review, I'll report back here.