You know the ones — black screen, spooky tales, perfect for dozing off.

I thought, "Man, I could do that." Turns out, I was right.

Now I'm making $1,000 a month posting videos I whip up during my lunch break. No fancy gear, no long hours — just 30 minutes a day.

Here's how I do it, step by step, with a couple of tricks I learned along the way.

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Photo by Blogging Guide on Unsplash

Why This Works

This whole "sleep horror stories" thing is a cash cow for a few reasons:

  • You don't need millions of views. Just 2,000–4,000 per video can bring in $10–$20 per 1,000 views. That's serious money for small numbers.
  • People are hooked. They play these videos to fall asleep or chill, so they keep coming back.
  • It's stupid easy. AI does most of the work, and you're done in half an hour.
  • The niche never gets old. Scary stories and rain sounds? Always a hit.

I was skeptical at first, but once I saw my first paycheck, I was sold. Let's get into it.

My Daily Routine

Here's how I crank out a video in 30 minutes. It's so simple, it feels like cheating.

1. Get a Spooky Story

I open ChatGPT and tell it to write a creepy bedtime story. I like setting it in a rainy forest — sets the mood just right. Here's what I type:

Write a creepy bedtime story in a rainy forest. Make it spooky but chill, good for sleep. Aim for 10,000 words.
  • Tool: ChatGPT (free version's fine).
  • Time: 5 minutes.
  • Tip: Keep it eerie, not bloody. You want people relaxed, not freaked out.

2. Make It Sound Real

I copy the story into ElevenLabs and pick a voice that's deep and a little creepy. It spits out an MP3 in no time.

  • Tool: ElevenLabs ($5–$22 a month).
  • Time: 5 minutes.
  • Tip: I tried a bunch of voices. Go for one that feels like a campfire storyteller.

3. Throw in Rain Sounds

I grab free rain sounds from Pixabay and mix them with the voiceover in CapCut. It's like adding spice to a dish — makes it pop.

  • Tool: CapCut (free).
  • Time: 5 minutes.
  • Nerdy Trick: If you're into coding, you can use Python to mix the audio. Here's what I played with:
from pydub import AudioSegment

# Load the voice and rain
voice = AudioSegment.from_mp3("story_voiceover.mp3")
rain = AudioSegment.from_mp3("rain_sounds.mp3")
# Turn down the rain so it's not too loud
rain = rain - 10
# Mix them together
final = voice.overlay(rain)
# Save it
final.export("final_audio.mp3", format="mp3")
  • Note: You need pydub (pip install pydub) and FFmpeg. Honestly, I just use CapCut—it's quicker.

4. Add a Simple Visual

I usually go with a black screen. Sometimes I use a dark campsite picture from Pixabay. CapCut stitches it all together.

  • Tool: CapCut (free).
  • Time: 5 minutes.
  • Tip: Don't overdo it. Sleepers don't need fancy visuals.

5. Slap Together a Thumbnail

Thumbnails are no big deal. I use Canva to make one with a dark campsite, some faded edges, and text that says "Stories for Sleep."

  • Tools: Canva (free).
  • Time: 5 minutes.
  • Cool Trick: If you want to get fancy, here's an HTML/CSS snippet I messed around with for thumbnails:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>
    .thumbnail {
      position: relative;
      width: 1280px;
      height: 720px;
      background: url('campsite.jpg') no-repeat center;
      background-size: cover;
      filter: blur(5px) brightness(0.5);
    }
    .thumbnail::before {
      content: '';
      position: absolute;
      top: 0;
      left: 0;
      right: 0;
      bottom: 0;
      background: radial-gradient(circle, transparent 50%, rgba(0,0,0,0.8) 100%);
    }
    .thumbnail-text {
      position: absolute;
      top: 50%;
      left: 50%;
      transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
      color: white;
      font-size: 48px;
      font-family: Arial;
      text-shadow: 2px 2px 4px black;
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <div class="thumbnail">
    <div class="thumbnail-text">Stories for Sleep</div>
  </div>
</body>
</html>
  • Note: Save it as thumbnail.html. I don't use this much—Canva's faster.

6. Upload It

I upload to YouTube with YouTube Studio. For titles and descriptions, I check out big channels like Mr. Nightmare and copy their style. Something like "Scary Rainy Night to Sleep" works great. Grab their tags too.

  • Tool: YouTube Studio (free).
  • Time: 5 minutes.
  • Tip: Schedule uploads to stay consistent. I do it while eating a burrito.

What You Need and What It Costs

Here's what I use:

  • ChatGPT: Free (or $20/month for extra features).
  • ElevenLabs: $5–$22/month.
  • CapCut: Free.
  • Canva: Free.
  • YouTube Studio: Free.

Total Cost: $5–$22 a month. Profit: If you're making $2,000, that's like 95% profit. Not bad for a side gig.

Why I Love This

  • It's Fast: I'm done in 30 minutes. Sometimes I finish while my dog's napping.
  • It's Cheap: Less than a pizza to start.
  • It Grows: You can make a bunch of videos in one go if you want.
  • People Dig It: Sleep stories are like comfort food for YouTube.

A Few Things I Learned

  • Post every day. It keeps the algorithm happy.
  • Don't mess with SEO. Just copy what works from big channels.
  • Try different video lengths. My viewers like 4-hour ones best.
  • Talk to your audience. Answering comments makes you feel like a mini-celebrity.

I'm no expert. I just wanted some extra cash without losing my mind. This YouTube hustle is so easy, it's almost unfair. If you've got half an hour, you can do this. Open ChatGPT, grab some rain sounds, and get started.