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Latest posts from Fika's blog

• An advent of updates

  Dec 05 ⎯ We know, we know. We just sent an update a couple weeks ago, but we're a bunch of passionate individuals on a mission: to help you write more! Here's what we've been cooking: The Proofreaders Writing is hard, but it’s like going to the gym: it gets easier every day. You know what else a gym has? A coach! So we built not one, not two, but three super-cute coaches that will help you become a better writer. The image shows three hand-drawn cute animalsEach of these absolutely adorable mascots has one specific job: The frog helps you with grammar, the rabbit with conciseness, and the wolf with clarity, flow, and impact. You can find the proofreader as a tool in your article editor, in addition to the rest of the utilities. Curious how it works? Here's a video of Pau, our CEO, explaining it! Content Translation 🌐 The world is a wonderfully complex place, and we humans have found vastly different ways of expressing our experience: we call them “languages”. It only makes sense that a platform meant for humans to connect embraces that complexity. Some writers, like ourselves, are polyglots, which means that we not only understand and write in different languages, but also have an opinion on what works best in each. A screenshot that showcases the translation settings interfaceYou can now not only choose a language for your blog, but also a set of language translations you want to provide. This enables a new utility in your post toolbar called “translations”, which allows you to auto-translate articles and, most importantly, curate them to your liking. The readers’ experience will also be tailored to their liking: they will receive your posts in their desired language if available, helping you make deeper connections with your audience. Wait! There’s more ✨ Building a nice product is not only about adding new features, but also polish, polish, polish. Here are some other not-so-flashy updates that we are also proud of. Notes now allow tags for easier access and management. You will now occasionally receive emails with article topic suggestions based on your notes. Lots of tiny improvements for search engine discoverability, making you easier for robots (not only humans) to find! Of course, several bug fixes, interface refinements, and other quality-of-life improvements for you to enjoy! Thanks for reading! We hope these updates make it an even better time for you to start writing.

  
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• Fika Challenge: Highlights from Weeks 2 and 3

  Nov 29 ⎯ If you still don’t know what the Fika Challenge is, you can check it out here. You still have time, hurry up. It’s been two weeks filled with really interesting articles created in Fika, shared with others, and generating plenty of noise and genuinely satisfying reading moments. Here you’ll find the most original and interesting blog posts published over the last two weeks: (published between 15–28 of November) Azhù opens the week with a sharp collection of thoughts, observations, and tiny moments that hit surprisingly deep. A light read that leaves you thinking. https://azhu.fika.bar/weekly-snippets-1-01KA23C3JFV966DNBM5FG8YVSS Jacob looks back at the moment he chose to completely rewrite his future, sharing an honest, intimate snapshot of change, fear and clarity. A powerful, personal read. https://jacobbamio.fika.bar/the-year-i-decided-to-rewrite-my-future-01K9SYFER0STQ8SGNC2ZW5WEJQ Abba shares a grounded reflection on what it really means to “stay human” in a chaotic world, mixing warmth, honesty and a quiet push to slow down. A gentle, resonant read. https://abbaing.fika.bar/stay-human-01KA6HRSAMPTHERMB79C1Q9NKK Ray dives into the bittersweet tension between who we are and who we try to be, blending sharp insight with a vulnerable, almost nostalgic tone. A beautifully reflective piece. https://ray-garcia.fika.bar/the-pains-of-being-pure-at-heart-01KA435VVCJZ864GENFJ1219SK Genís embraces the chaos of creative flow, turning a messy writing session into a fun, self-aware exploration of how ideas actually take shape. Light, honest and relatable. https://genis.fika.bar/the-vibe-writing-mess-01KA8CTNA4AWCWYA3A27BWHSHP Willow shares a thoughtful look at what it means to raise kids when AI is part of everyday life, blending curiosity, humour and a grounded sense of responsibility. A smart, reflective read. https://dailyfieldnotes.fika.bar/raising-humans-in-the-age-of-chatgpt-01KAJRCHVH813Y10PN31P62K07 Aybée digs into why we’re strangely drawn to discomfort, mixing personal insight with a sharp, almost playful exploration of human behaviour. Bold, curious, and surprisingly uplifting. https://aybee.fika.bar/we-love-pain-seriously-01KAJFDYS7DCKWRX4S4RTXZ0YP Pedro breaks down a practical, developer-friendly way to review your AI agent’s work locally, offering a clear snapshot of how to debug, test and iterate faster. Concise, technical and genuinely useful. https://pedro.fika.bar/reviewing-your-agents-work-locally-with-g-01KANA06D42DGKJ1M6W97QYAER CRTD delivers a moody, intimate snapshot built around three “ghosts” that linger in memory, blending atmosphere, vulnerability and sharp visual storytelling. Haunting in the best way. https://crtd.fika.bar/crtd-3-ghosts-01KAPBZFBN08SZWAB90A1Z9DSY Daviz questions whether product design as we know it is reaching an end, blending sharp industry insight with a bold, provocative take on where the craft is headed. A punchy, thought-starter. https://daviz.fika.bar/esta-acabado-el-product-design-01K9STQ1990268GZ0K0NX1XWMW Álvaro offers a clear, accessible introduction to voice agents, breaking down how they work, why they matter, and where they're headed. A crisp, beginner-friendly tech explainer. https://atrancon.fika.bar/introduction-to-voice-agents-01KAXEMYF9EZF0VARNK6DQGVF3 Rene captures the universal struggle of simply sitting down to write, turning a familiar battle with resistance into a warm, honest reminder that starting is always the hardest part. A relatable nudge forward. https://renegalindo.fika.bar/sitting-down-is-the-hardest-part-of-writing-01KB27G429AB4RSD78MRYZQC8M Threes explores what strategy even means when the world feels “headless,” blending sharp analysis with a calm, thoughtful take on how to navigate uncertainty. A smart, grounded read. https://threes.fika.bar/strategy-in-a-headless-world-01KA3MDJ4HE41DTEXVDNJQETPX Genar reflects on the art of shifting perspective, moving between the big picture and the tiny details that shape it. A calm, insightful piece about seeing more by looking twice. https://genar.fika.bar/zoom-out-zoom-in-01KAQXGKBXJAZZ00DFJYEKWMVZ Gonzalo unpacks the messy reality of time-tracking at work and explains why it pushed him to build Susana, blending personal frustration with a sharp look at workplace culture. Practical, honest and eye-opening. https://gonzalo.fika.bar/el-dilema-del-control-horario-y-por-que-construi-susana-01KB31AJJ3WF60Y0TZQEDBRM4S Two weeks in, it is clear that writing becomes easier when we show up even on the days when inspiration feels far away. Keep sharing your thoughts, your drafts, your experiments and your strange ideas. Every post encourages someone else to start. Let’s fill the next week with even more voices and even more stories.

  

• Fika November Update

  Nov 25 ⎯ In Fika, we’re determined in our mission to help you write more and connect with other humans. Here’s what we’ve been carefully packing for you these last few weeks! Fika went multilingual! An image showcasing the different language choices in Fika's interfaceYou can now customize the language of Fika’s interface to your liking. We’ve started with just a few (we’re a small team!) but please let us know if you miss yours 💚. We also got localized versions of our public pages, like https://fika.bar/ca or https://fika.bar/pt. New “subscribe” block You can now place a block anywhere in the page to ask your readers to become subscribers when it best suits you. Exactly… Like this! ⬇︎ Note: You might not see the feature if reading from your e-mail. Of course, the subscribe experience will be tailored to your blog’s language, which, by the way, you can also set separately from the interface language in your blog’s settings. Voice notes & bookmarks Writing is a non-linear experience. Ideas might pop up into your mind while walking, doing the laudry, or while reading an article. Well, now you can capture them on the go via our new “Notes” feature. An image showcasing our "notes" feature, showing a few notes and bookmarks, as well as a voice recording functionality.Voice notes will get digested by Fika, and it’ll automatically extract insights and generate post ideas to nudge you into writing. Please try it out, it’s fun! Visual improvements on the editor The editor is where you’ll hopefully spend more time in Fika. We noticed it wasn’t cool enough, so we’ve reworked most of its interface to declutter it and make it easier for you to concentrate. We’ve also added a sidebar where you’ll be able to search your notes, and where you’ll see neat new features coming up Soon Enough ™. An image showing the new text editor in Fika, which has less visual noise.Other improvements We noticed some stability issues, and that’s not cool. So we’re also working hard on completely revamping Fika’s internals for you to have a best-in-class writing experience. If you experienced some issues, we hear you. Please bear with us while we fix them! What’s next? Choices, choices. We have so many ideas we can’t wait to deliver, including: Grammar correction and writing advice: Human content means human mistakes. We want to help you become better at writing by providing writing advice and grammar correction — without taking the pen from your hands. Social publishing: A way to streamline social publishing so you spend less time thinking about distribution channels and more time writing. Voice dictation: For those who are able to write articles in real time in their minds. Multi-language content: Why limiting your audience to a single language? We’re looking into ways to make your content more universally accessible to readers anywhere and everywhere. Custom domains and whitelabeling: For those who want the fika experience in their own awesome domain name. Phew, that was a lot, wasn’t it? Thanks for reading, and if you’re looking for your opportunity to start writing, remember we have a Writing Challenge going on!

  
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• The Fika Writing Challenge: “A Publication a Week”

  Nov 17 ⎯ The Challenge: 4 posts in 30 days Just like exercising strengthens your body, writing strengthens your mind. Let’s build a habit that stays! We challenge you to publish 4 blog posts in 30, from Friday, November 7th, 2025 to Sunday, December 7th, 2025, with at least 300 words. You can write about anything: your week, something interesting that happened, a tutorial on how to use a tool, or even a poem, as far as is helps you build a habit. Please refrain from using AI for text generation. This activity is about practicing and being mindful! The Rewards Everyone who completes the challenge (4 posts in 30 days ) receives 1 year of Fika Premium free (launching soon). The writer who attracts the most new subscribers during the month will win 6 hand-picked books by Ramensoft’s team. The Books: We manually selected these books to help you exercise your brain, improve your writing skills and grow your audience. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life On Writing Well: The Essential Guide to Mastering Nonfiction Writing and Effective Communication The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk! Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling Steering the Craft: A Twenty-First-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story The Elements of Eloquence: An amusing and wonderfully erudite guide to the ‘formulas, flowers and figures’ of rhetoric. Fika ChallengeHow it works Start writing this week, if you don’t have an account yet, signup here, it’s free :). Publish 4 blog posts in 30 days (any topic, any length but at least 300 words). Finish the four weeks, earn your Premium year and maybe the books too. Check your position on the leaderboard (soon!) We’ll announce the winners on December 8th Join the challenge now!

  
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• Writing challenge Week 2 - Best blog posts included

  Nov 14 ⎯ Hi there, It’s been a week since we started the challenge, and we’ve already seen so many great posts appear on Fika. Some funny, some deep, some just honest. That’s what writing is about, showing up, one thought at a time. If you wrote last week, take a moment to feel proud. You’ve already done what most people never start. And if you haven’t published yet, this is your gentle reminder: open your notebook, pick a thought, and write. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be yours. To keep you inspired, here are some of the best posts from last week: (published between 7–14 of November) Who puts rice in a pineapple Aybee: after launching Metrifox and vowing to record weekly YouTube videos, the writer realises writing is far easier than filming. El safari emocional de las startups Eliseo: a reflection on the startup journey as an emotional safari, full of highs, lows, and unexpected challenges. El propósito de las cortinillas Miriam: questions the purpose of the aisle divider (curtain) between economy and business class in airplanes. CRTD #1: Finding heaven and hell on earth CRTD: highlights ROSALÍA’s album LUX as a grand and emotionally transcendent work that feels like being in heaven. What to eat after crying on the subway Hannah: explores what kind of food or gesture helps soothe you after a public emotional breakdown (for example crying on the subway) and why comfort matters. Staying Human with AI Pedro: explains how they use AI in roles like coding, sales, content and research, choosing to keep their own voice rather than let tools do everything. Maybe you're just a necessary evil Aybee: explores the idea of being seen as a “necessary evil” in relationships or roles, where you’re required but not truly valued. What AI Can't Know Dailyfieldnotes: argues that while AI models can ingest huge amounts of data, they can never fully know humans’ lived experience, tacit knowledge or emotional context. Why's everybody talking about vibe coding? Genar: explains “vibe-coding” as building software by prompting AI instead of hand-writing code. El buffet asesino Hflap: humorously describes how hotel buffets become a stealthy workout deterrent, tempting us into a cycle of food-organizing, plate-stacking and overindulgence. Join the challenge here, earn a free year of Fika Premium, and if you end up bringing in the most subscribers, you might also walk away with six amazing books

  

• Hello fika!

  Jul 21 ⎯ “Fika” is a Swedish tradition where you take time out of your day to socialize with friends, family, or colleagues over a cup of coffee or tea. It's a time to relax and enjoy the company of others. But why "fika" for this product? Well, coining new names is important. It sheds light on the invisible and lays the building blocks to create narratives upon. Let's talk how I got there. The dark forest One of these neologisms is "Dark Forest", which was popularized in 2008 by Liu Cixin when he published a book of the same name. The "Dark Forest" is a hypothesis that tries to explain why we haven't found alien life despite how likely it should be (the Fermi Paradox). It uses a metaphor: in a dark forest, full of hostile predators, one wouldn't make themselves known to others, as it would mean certain death. In 2019, Yancey Strickler, one of the co-founders of Kickstarter, wrote an essay that brought this term to the tech world. He argued that the internet is slowly becoming a dark forest, where people are afraid to share their thoughts and ideas, as they might be attacked by trolls or other predatory actors. Four days later, Venkatesh Rao followed up with another article that went deeper into the topic. In this article, he used one of his usual 2x2 matrixes to coin a new term: The cozy web. The cozy web is the antithesis of the dark forest. It's a place where people can share their thoughts and ideas without fear of being attacked. It is by nature private and not indexed by search engines. The cozy web In 2023, Maggie Appleton further popularized the cozy web by publishing a beautiful infographic that illustrated the different layers of the internet, from the dark web (completely anonymous) to the dark forest (completely public). In between the dark extremes, life is thriving in semi-public or private spaces, where people can share their thoughts and ideas without fear of being attacked. Looking at Maggie's work I realized that I’m constantly moving information between the dark forest and the cozy web. I often consume content online, curate it, and share it in private communities on Telegram and Whatsapp. Many people live and thrive in that liminal space so I decided to create a product for us. I imagined a little bar in the middle of the dark forest, where animals would come together and share the stories they've found in the woods. A place where they could take a break from predators and cozy up. Hence, fika. Sharing stories Sharing stories has changed a lot over the years. It started with the blogosphere (how long has it been since you heard that word?) and the RSS protocol. But after the tragic death of Google Reader, it quickly moved towards social media and messaging apps. I'm bringing back the old ways of sharing without trying to compete against algorithmic engagement. A corner of the internet for people producing and consuming long-form content. To fulfill that vision, I'm bundling three products into one: A bookmark manager An RSS reader A blog/newsletter platform I've made the most minimalistic version of each one of these products, but they make sense together as a whole. Stitched up by the RSS protocol. A bookmark manager When bookmarking stories, fika detects and recommends subscribing to the feed if one is available. Despite RSS readers not being a thing, they are still surprisingly abundant since most publishing platforms enable them by default. For instance, from my own ~5k bookmarks, I found almost 1k feeds to subscribe to. An RSS Reader When you subscribe to a feed, fika suggests you stories for you to bookmark. It also sends you a digest to your email so you don't need to check the app (or worse, Twitter) every day. An blog/newsletter platform Besides consuming content, I wanted people to be able to contribute their own. Usually this comes in two forms: Someone else’s content: that’s the realm of “retweets”, social bookmarking, and other forms of curation. Your own original content: that’s the realm of “threads'“, blog posts and other forms of long-form content. I built a very basic blog platform so people could write their own posts and share their bookmarks with the world under the same feed. This also closes the circle, since it allows people to follow each other like one would on a social network. Closure I hope you enjoy fika and find the ideas inspiring. Please don’t hesitate to sign up and see if this is something that would bring value to your life. It’s made with a lot of love. Cheers, Pao