2 ms·

Why should being interesting be a primary goal?

• brudgers 13y ago
  If one is defending their writing as writing, then what else is there as far as the reader is concerned. On the other hand if one is just kicking the dog, a blog might be more appropriate than HN given the scaffold of values Graham has said he wishes to establish. [Graham's opinions are interesting because they are enforceable]. That being said, the question of whether one should or should not work on Graham's scaffold is another question altogether about which diverse opinions share the common feature of uninterstingness.
  • danilocampos 13y ago
    I guess that's fair. My impulses in writing are generally selfish, though – I write mostly to resolve questions or annoyances in my mind. But secondarily, yes, as an exercise to test my knack for persuasion, so your feedback on being interesting is well taken. I positively relish your rhetorical style, by the way.
    • brudgers 13y ago
      Thanks, I write for myself, and I think I'm a pompous ass. A log of the ideas about readers comes from parroting Zinnser's On Writing Well. I had it out from the library earlier this year. One of the benefits of HN for me is that I don't get terribly upset about the subject matter - usually. I've tried to stop writing about things that I am upset about, both online and in my journal. It's made writing a much more pleasant experience.