Books · by Piotr Zieliński · 2026-08-27

Notes from a very normal winter with Books before coffee

Context: I am not an expert, just someone trying to make Books feel less intimidating. I wrote down what worked, what felt awkward, and what I would do differently next time.

Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the prototype for a while.

Would love to hear how other people handle this. I am especially curious about the version that works on a tired weekday, not just on an ideal Sunday.

I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions

209 sparks · 31 comments

Comments

Paper Otter · 43 likes

Good reminder that boring can be good. I would love to see a follow-up after 10 weeks

Ethan Brooks · 10 likes

Thanks for making it less intimidating

Urban Comet · 4 likes

Now I want a spreadsheet

Urban Comet · 4 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy

Martina Fernández · 1 likes

The Tuesday test is undefeated

Valeria Flores · 1 likes

@paper-52 Same here. It took me too long to learn

Ayesha Khan · 0 likes

This. Exactly this

Mateo Cruz · 0 likes

@paper-52 Kind of wild how often good is the whole issue

Curious Panda · 10 likes

I am cheering for this update. That is where the boring checklist helps

Lena Müller · 9 likes

I think this advice is overrated. I keep a note about libraries for exactly this reason

Sleepy Noodle · 8 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy

Bianca Santos · 8 likes

I think the bad version of this advice causes alot of frustration. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error

Rapid Panda · 5 likes

short answer: yes. Long answer: also yes

Youssef Mahmoud · 6 likes

This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. A little friction removed goes a long way

Midnight Atlas · 5 likes

the context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. This is more useful on a tired quiet Sunday than on a perfect day

Mango Atlas · 76 likes

I needed the reminder to start smaller

Maya Williams · 4 likes

the boring logistics are always the hidden part. This is more useful on a tired rainy evening than on a perfect day

Mango Mango · 3 likes

I agree with the goal and disagree with the method. The social part surprised me too

Valeria López · 3 likes

I found this disappointing becuase it skips the hardest part. I keep a note about nonfiction for exactly this reason

Lena Müller · 2 likes

helpful and not preachy, which is rare. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability

Mara Fischer · 6 likes

Totally agree, especially for beginners

Rohan Mehta · 3 likes

@de_rider Respectfully, I see it the other way

Can Arslan · 2 likes

Good reminder that boring can be good

Rizky Pratama · 2 likes

@can-86 The Tuesday test is undefeated

Chloe Davis · 8 likes

could be regional too

Rafael Almeida · 2 likes

What happened after the first week? I am curious whether coffee stayed easy. The São Paulo example makes it feel concrete

Aoi Ito · 1 likes

the vibe here is immaculate. I care less about teh perfect answer and more about repeatability

Mango Atlas · 1 likes

glad you shared it; small wins count

Maya Williams · 0 likes

I would not call it wrong, just incomplete. The a neighborhood park detail changes the whole answer

Aarav Sharma · 0 likes

This reminds me of something a friend in Madrid mentioned. That is the kind of detail beginners miss

Élodie Favre · 0 likes

I appreciate teh honest middle stage, not just teh polished ending. I used to overcomplicate this constantly