Explain Like I'm Five · by Mara Fischer · 2026-09-08
What mistake taught you the most about simple after a few failed attempts?
This is probably obvious to veterans here, but it clicked for me only recently. explainers got easier when I stopped treating every attempt like a final exam.
My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, I am much more likely to keep doing it.
Context: I am not an expert, just someone trying to make Explain Like I'm Five feel less intimidating. I wrote down what worked, what felt awkward, and what I would do differently next time.
16 sparks · 24 comments
Comments
Noah Miller · 12 likes
Yes, but I would approach it in a small, testable way rather than trying to solve everything at once. If two options look equal, choose the one that is easier to reverse.
- Start small and make the next step obvious.
- Keep notes so you can compare what worked.
- Ask someone with recent experience, not just strong opinions.
Hope this helps!
Paolo Garcia · 10 likes
Yes, but I would approach it in a small, testable way rather than trying to solve everything at once. You will learn more from a simple version repeated three times than from a perfect plan you never start.
- Start small and make the next step obvious.
- Keep notes so you can compare what worked.
- Ask someone with recent experience, not just strong opinions.
That should give you a solid first pass.
Lena Müller · 5 likes
This comment has main-character footnote energy.
Paolo Garcia · 0 likes
Same here. It took me too long to learn.
Aoi Ito · 2 likes
This is the kind of disagreement I like.
Mara Fischer · 1 likes
I like this more than the top-level advice.
Aoi Ito · 5 likes
The middle path is probably best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error.
Luciana Vargas · 3 likes
The middle path is probably best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. I would write it down before changing anything else.
Jasmine Cruz · 3 likes
The middle path is probably best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing.
Grace Parker · 2 likes
I wish more posts had this much context. I would love to see a follow-up after 2 weeks.
Cedar Noodle · 1 likes
Yes, but I would approach it in a small, testable way rather than trying to solve everything at once. You will learn more from a simple version repeated three times than from a perfect plan you never start.
- Start small and make the next step obvious.
- Keep notes so you can compare what worked.
- Ask someone with recent experience, not just strong opinions.
Source: mostly hard-won experience and comparing notes with people who stuck with it.
Pixel Atlas · 1 likes
The middle path is probably best: try it cheaply, keep notes and decide after you have real evidence. I would write it down before changing anything else.
Brave Comet · 1 likes
The attempts angle is what sold me. The practical constraint is probably the real story.
Mariam Said · 1 likes
@bravecodes That sounds great until you add children/pets/deadlines.
Kabir Khan · 0 likes
I like this more than the top-level advice.
Finn Brown · 1 likes
Amazing how much difference one small change can make. It sounds small, but the prototype matters. The follow-through matters more than the perfect plan.
Nusrat Akter · 0 likes
I would ask what outcome you want in two weeks, not in some ideal future. That makes the choice much clearer. The 7-minute rule is underrated.
Rohan Mehta · 0 likes
My practical advice is to make the next step tiny enough that you can do it today. Momentum usually answers half the question. The a family dinner detail changes the whole answer.