Robert Kiyosaki supposedly once counseled a new "creator" about the perils of good writing: "It's 'bestselling author,' not 'best-written author.'" His point: If you want to be successful online, you need to write for sales, not art. He's right. It's unfortunate, but if a writer spends time doing something stupid like, you know, writing well, turning phrases, and such, he won't be spending time churning out swill and won't make any money.
Exhibit A: Zero Hedge. Tyler Durden couldn't write well, but he always got his point across in a pithy, often sensationalist, manner, and he knew his field (financing, investment) very well. His readership exploded. He then started branching out into related areas, going beyond economics into current affairs and politics.
Tyler Durden also started writing well. When I read this piece, I was like, "Dang, this is well done."
I guess a guy can start as a hack and, after doing it for a few years, develop an objectively decent style.
(Aside: "Tyler Durden" is the main character in Fight Club. Not only is it not the real name of the blogger behind Zero Hedge, but it's also unlikely that the Zero Hedge blogger is just one guy. It is speculated that up to 40 people are authorized by Zero Hedge to post under the name "Tyler Durden.")
