As strange as it may sound, I often write on HN (and other places) simply to practice writing. I've noticed that good writing often gets upvotes, while good ideas (at least in my opinion) are controversial. If people can follow your train of thought, there will be people who agree and will upvote you. If they can't, it doesn't matter how brilliant the idea, people will ignore it.

As for mimicking other writers, I would avoid that. You have a style, but you haven't discovered it yet. Just keep writing. Get feedback. Write some more. Over time, your style will come forward. Once you recognise it, it will be easier to refine it.