Curiosity as Structure

Montaigne’s Enduring Form

Michel de Montaigne did not write essays to provide answers; he wrote them to ‘attempt’ a thought. The word essai itself means ‘a trial’ or ‘an attempt.’ Today, I have been following a thought that began with a simple, quiet wondering about why we keep objects that no longer serve us.

In a world that demands certainty and ‘hot takes,’ there is something deeply radical about the essay form. It allows for disciplined wandering. It allows the writer to change their mind halfway through a paragraph. Structure, in this sense, is not a rigid outline, but the path of a curious mind.

We should write more often from a place of ‘I wonder why…’ rather than ‘Here is how…’ Curiosity is a more sustainable engine than expertise. It invites the reader to join the investigation rather than just listen to a lecture. Try it today. Write three paragraphs that start with ‘I wonder why…’ and see where the path leads you.

The Monroe Minute Write three paragraphs starting with “I wonder why…”

Until the next page,
Sloane S. Monroe

Sloane Shay Monroe

I don’t write to idealize love, but to explore it honestly, with emotional precision and depth.