The Hidden Structure Behind Great Essays
3 rules for writing a thought-provoking personal essay
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"Robin's approach has fundamentally changed my relationship with books—shifting the focus from simply 'collecting' knowledge toward a true transformation through texts."
-Richard Shortland-Neal from Underhill Letters
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-Gloria
"You're a deep thinker who encourages me to think deeply. I think that so often we go through life without reflecting on the thread that goes between us and the world; you help me see those little weavings."
-Allison
"I love that you take the humanities seriously and want to use them to help fix what's wrong with the early 21st Century"
-Michael
"Reading your work and musings is like a breath of fresh air for me! I got a chance to study the humanities for a semester and it was the most memorable time for me in uni.
-Aumi
"I am in my twenties now, and switching to Literary Studies. Finally following my dreams. I will take your writings with me on my journey. Thank you."
-Denzel
"I am a lifelong learner, and I want to make a living from my writing, speaking, podcasting and my art. I really love your filming and writing style as well as the way you curate your work. God bless and go well."
-Richard
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-Timothy
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-Anna
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-Ibra
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-Victoria
Your Starter Pack
Session 6: The Principles of Captivating Writing
The foundations of writing that you've never learned in school
Deep Reading Pt. 1: The Reading System Nobody Taught You At School
A series on the most effective reading framework of the last 100 years
How To Write a Paragraph That Doesn't Suck
Happy Saturday! Today, we'll revisit one of my favourite posts from 2024 that turned out to be a
Plain English Pt. 1: How To Write A Clean Sentence
A grammar guide for people who hate grammar.
Latest Letters
Mar 17
![[1-2-Read] How Literature Slows Down Time](https://storage.ghost.io/c/4c/bc/4cbc0360-11e9-4e97-9d5b-641fbd8fb570/content/images/size/w400/2025/06/23a84b1c-a273-4c77-b5ee-cc2653ec1919_1920x1080-jpeg.jpg)
[1-2-Read] How Literature Slows Down Time
The Power of Literary Form
4 min read
Mar 10
Every Other Day: Use Laziness To Your Advantage
You Don't Have To Love The Difficult Things
3 min read
Mar 03
![[1-2-Read]: Are You A Paranoid Reader?](https://storage.ghost.io/c/4c/bc/4cbc0360-11e9-4e97-9d5b-641fbd8fb570/content/images/size/w400/2025/06/e1e6a097-6f44-445b-a603-74313d0d50f1_1920x1080-jpeg.jpg)
[1-2-Read]: Are You A Paranoid Reader?
(Repost): The 1-2-Read Newsletter
6 min read
Feb 19
Thank You For Coming To My TEDx Talk
Or, a long overdue update
4 min read
Dec 22
My PhD Program Rejected Me, But...
I'm Back! And Here's What I've Been Up To
3 min read
Dec 16
011: Being Well-Read Doesn't Mean Reading More Books
On this episode we’ll discuss what it means to be “well-read” and why it doesn’t necessarily mean
1 min read
Dec 09
010: Tips For Reclaiming Your Attention Span
In this episode, we discuss the four essential mindsets for developing your attention span and regaining your ability to enjoy
1 min read
Dec 02
009: The REAL Reason Why College Students Struggle to Read Books
An episode discussing the recent article by The Atlantic on why elite college students are struggling to read books and
1 min read
Nov 25
008: How To Build A Consistent Reading Habit
On this episode, we talk about how to develop a sustainable reading habit and the future of this podcast.
Podcast
1 min read
Nov 18
Going on a one-month leave + Announcement!
A well-needed break + what I've been working on
2 min read
Nov 11
Our Identities Are Rarely Consistent
How to cherish your contradictions
3 min read
Nov 04
Why It's Hard To Think Clearly In Our World
To think or to act? That is the question.
3 min read