Understanding Scribe Types

Three Ways to Create

Coffeescribe offers three distinct creation modes, each suited to different needs and subscription tiers.

New (May 2026): The Create page (/create) now shows three plain-language cards — AI Create, Guided Creation, and Empty Mug — plus a Research band. The names below (Instant Coffee, Americano, Cold Brew, Espresso) are still the underlying creation modes — they appear in chat summaries, the Workspace, and elsewhere. The picker just uses plain labels so the routes are obvious to first-time users.

Picker label (new)	Underlying mode
AI Create → "Fill out a form"	Americano / Quick Book
AI Create → "Just describe it"	Barista (chats then drops you on a form)
Guided Creation → "Fill out a form"	Cold Brew
Guided Creation → "Just describe it"	Barista → Cold Brew
Empty Mug	Blank scribe (Workspace only)

Also new (May 2026, E64.3 + E67): Both forms are now a 6-card slideshow (Title & Length → Topic & Purpose → Audience & Reader Level → Structure → Description → Review). The Generate button is renamed Create Scribe. On Card 1, alongside the title, pick a Target length tile — 10 / 20 / 30 / 60 min for a Quick Read, or Full scribe for a full-length book. The chosen length calibrates everything AI Quick Fill picks for you. After clicking Create Scribe, AI Create and Full Scribe land you on a Structure Review page where you can edit the AI's proposed chapter and section layout before writing begins.

Variable section counts (E67): The AI now decides chapter count and variable sections-per-chapter from the full form context, instead of a rigid N × M (e.g. always 10 chapters × 4 sections). Some chapters might have 2 sections; others 5. Quick Reads have a duration-based total word budget (250 wpm × N min). Full Scribe has a 24-chapter ceiling.

Instant Coffee

Available to: All tiers

The fastest way to create a scribe. Enter a topic, configure your scribe using the tile-based controls, and the AI generates a complete scribe automatically.

Best for:

• Exploring new topics quickly
• Getting a first draft on any subject
• Users who want results with minimal setup

What you control:

• Topic and Scribe Description
• Scribe Type, Chapters, Sections, Reading Level, Style, Tone, Target Audience, Age Range, Purpose, and Content Focus — all set by clicking tiles (or typing a custom value via "Other…")
• AI Quick Fill to auto-suggest any fields you leave blank

What the AI decides:

• Scribe structure (chapters and sections)
• Content depth and focus
• Writing style

Americano (Full Scribe)

Available to: All tiers

A structured form that gives you more control over your scribe without the full step-by-step process of Cold Brew. Uses the same tile-based interface as Instant Coffee, with additional fields and (on Creator) model selection.

Best for:

• Users who want more input than Instant Coffee
• Specifying particular aspects of the scribe
• Getting better-targeted results

What you control:

• Topic and detailed Scribe Description
• All tile fields: Scribe Type, Chapters, Sections, Reader Level, Style, Tone, Age Range, Purpose, Content Focus
• Language selection
• AI model choice (Creator unlocks the picker — CoffeeScribe Model recommended + 350+ alternatives; Free + Pro are locked to the CoffeeScribe Model)
• Web search (on by default)
• Generation mode: Lightning, Lightning Medium, Pour Over, or Pour Over Slow Brew (from fastest to finest)

Cold Brew (Guided Creation)

Available to: All tiers

The most powerful creation option. Walk through each step of the scribe creation process with full control over structure, content direction, and AI model selection.

Best for:

• Professional-quality content
• Scribes requiring specific structure
• Users who want maximum creative control
• Custom chapter and section layouts

What you control:

• Every aspect of the scribe structure
• Individual chapter and section prompts
• AI model selection per generation (Creator only — Free + Pro use the locked CoffeeScribe Model)
• Web search integration for research-backed content

Espresso (Quick Read)

Available to: All tiers

Espresso scribes are condensed summaries of existing scribes. Choose a reading time (10 min read, 20 min read, or 30 min read) and the AI creates a shortened version that captures the key points.

Best for:

• Getting the highlights of a longer scribe
• Time-limited reading
• Previewing a topic before diving deeper

Note: Creating an Espresso counts toward your scribe creation limits.

Barista (Talk to AI)

Available to: All tiers

Instead of filling in a form, describe what you want to create in a natural conversation. The AI Barista asks the right questions, figures out whether your idea is best suited to an Espresso, Americano, or Cold Brew, and builds your brief for you.

Best for:

• Users who prefer talking over form-filling
• When you have a rough idea but aren't sure how to structure it
• Getting started quickly — the AI fills in the details you don't mention

How it works:

1. Click Barista in the creation modal
2. Describe your idea in plain language (type or use voice input)
3. The AI asks follow-up questions and fills in form fields behind the scenes
4. When you're happy, review the brief and continue to the form with everything pre-filled
5. AI Quick Fill completes any remaining fields automatically

Voice input: Available in Chrome and Edge. Click the microphone button to speak instead of type.

Custom Instructions: During the conversation, if you mention specific preferences (e.g., "include diagrams", "avoid jargon"), the AI creates custom instruction sections that feed directly into content generation.

Custom Instructions

Available to: All tiers (on any creation form)

Custom instructions let you give the AI extra context that doesn't fit into the standard form fields. Add as many as 10 label + description pairs.

Examples:

• Format: "Include comparison tables and bullet points for key data"
• Avoid: "No corporate jargon or motivational clichés"
• Voice: "Write like a friendly teacher explaining to a curious student"
• Include: "Real-world case studies from UK companies"

Custom instructions appear on your form, persist with your scribe, and are visible on the Scribe Hub after creation.

Comparison Table