Conversely, anyone who already does write essays almost certainly already knows what purpose they serve and how to pursue it. Or, if they don't, that's almost c

Conversely, anyone who already does write essays almost certainly already knows what purpose they serve and how to pursue it. Or, if they don't, that's almost certainly because they are new to the form and haven't yet grasped it firmly. (On the question of whether Graham, in particular, despite being not at all new to the form, has likewise not grasped it firmly, "further affiant sayeth naught"...) edit: Naught save that perhaps having a guarantee of an audience, as HN's commentariat furnishes Graham, may not be ideal as a means of fostering development in the skill of writing. If you're going to be read and discussed regardless of merit, how do you know merit when you achieve it? How do you avoid mistaking the contingent for the essential? How do you refine your craft in the absence of meaningful feedback?