The Invisible Writer

I ran across a writing tip today that made me want to shout at the tipster, "Are you nuts?" Needless to say, I refrained from a confrontation but I'd still like to discuss this just a bit.

Here's the tip: "I have my students locate what they believe is the best line. It makes them aware that not every line has to be golden and a writer certainly doesn't want to lose a reader in self-indulgent prose. However, there should be one line that absolutely pops the piece. This is the line to let readers know 'I'm a writer to be reckoned with.' "

I've always believed that every word - every sentence - every paragraph needs to be vital to the story, needs to keep it moving and the reader engrossed. Writing one line that pops does not a good story make. But even this isn't what upset me. It was the part about the writer letting the reader know that he's to be "reckoned with".

I've always been taught that the writer should be invisible. If you can tell when the writer is writing, he's doing something wrong. When I finish a short story or a book I want to be able to say, "Wow! What a great story!" And if a writer can make me do this, I'll look for more of their work to read. For me, its about the story, if I'm stopping to admire the writing the story is lost.

What about you? Do you read for the story or to admire the writer who's telling the story? Or is it a little of both?