Essay Rec Masterpost
I had been promising this for months, so here it is. Amy Raine's list of excellent essays on writing, media and fandom.
This is an ongoing compilation; as I discover more good essays I will add more links.
Writing Advice
Epithets: Fandom's Designated Hitters - how overusing epithets makes for crappy, juvenile writing. Classic but still relevant.
Adverbs and Starting Actions - when using adverbs is lazy writing
Really and Truly Hating the Adverb Hatred - how the careful use of adverbs can make for strong writing.
The Rain Fell in Torrents - Except at Occasional Intervals - an analysis and criticism of popular writing advice
General Subject Essays (mostly about criticism and analysis)
The Death of the Author - the classic post-modernist essay
Mary Sue, What Are You or Why the Concept of Mary Sue Is Sexist
Your Friends Are Not Watching the Same Show You Are (and That's Okay)
Tangible Details and the Nature of Criticism: Film Crit Hulk talks about how people focus on specific details when trying to explain why they don't like something, even though those details aren't always what was actually wrong with the work.
Musings on Race in Fantasy, or Why Ron Weasley isn't Black
Right for the Wrong Reasons - a discussion of the terms 'genre' and 'aesthetics'
On Fandom and Ownership
Essays on Individual Works or Franchises (listed by main work discussed, although others might be mentioned)
Avatar the Last Airbender/The Legend of Korra
An Extended Analysis of Avatar: the Last Airbender
Reasons I Love Avatar series: Character Arcs, Relationships, War, Politics
The Cultures of Avatar series: What it is to Be Free: Aang and the Spirituality of the Air Nomads, We Can Do This, Together: Community and Change in the Water Tribes, Stand Strong, Stand Proud: Earth Kingdom Resilience and Identity, Burn for My Belief: The Fire Nation and the Courage of Conviction
On Energybending and the Finale
Birth Pangs of a New World Order: "The Promise" and Nationalism
It Ain't About Bending, It's About Money
We Need to Talk About Korra and the addendum
LoK as a Rorschach Blot and the Problem of Telling
LoK, Being on Team Human, and Stories About Nothing
How You Can Have a Bunch Of Great Ideas and Still Fuck Up Real Bad
Korra as the Avatar and Bending as a Defining Feature
Coraline
The Monstrous Mother: from Beowulf to Coraline
The Dark Knight Rises
http://wrongquestions.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-dark-knight-rises.html - more a review than an essay but brings up some excellent points
Ender's Game
Ender and Hitler: Sympathy for the Superman and
Creating the Innocent Killer - two essays that examine the troublesome morality in the Ender's Game series
Harry Potter
Man with Pickaxe: the Myth of Canon
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Afterword
Harry Potter and the Doctrine of the Calvinists
John Carter (movie)
Hulk vs. the John Carter Script
The Matrix
What Was the Matrix - a discussion of narcissists in the modern age.
This is an ongoing compilation; as I discover more good essays I will add more links.
Writing Advice
Epithets: Fandom's Designated Hitters - how overusing epithets makes for crappy, juvenile writing. Classic but still relevant.
Adverbs and Starting Actions - when using adverbs is lazy writing
Really and Truly Hating the Adverb Hatred - how the careful use of adverbs can make for strong writing.
The Rain Fell in Torrents - Except at Occasional Intervals - an analysis and criticism of popular writing advice
General Subject Essays (mostly about criticism and analysis)
The Death of the Author - the classic post-modernist essay
Mary Sue, What Are You or Why the Concept of Mary Sue Is Sexist
Your Friends Are Not Watching the Same Show You Are (and That's Okay)
Tangible Details and the Nature of Criticism: Film Crit Hulk talks about how people focus on specific details when trying to explain why they don't like something, even though those details aren't always what was actually wrong with the work.
Musings on Race in Fantasy, or Why Ron Weasley isn't Black
Right for the Wrong Reasons - a discussion of the terms 'genre' and 'aesthetics'
On Fandom and Ownership
Essays on Individual Works or Franchises (listed by main work discussed, although others might be mentioned)
Avatar the Last Airbender/The Legend of Korra
An Extended Analysis of Avatar: the Last Airbender
Reasons I Love Avatar series: Character Arcs, Relationships, War, Politics
The Cultures of Avatar series: What it is to Be Free: Aang and the Spirituality of the Air Nomads, We Can Do This, Together: Community and Change in the Water Tribes, Stand Strong, Stand Proud: Earth Kingdom Resilience and Identity, Burn for My Belief: The Fire Nation and the Courage of Conviction
On Energybending and the Finale
Birth Pangs of a New World Order: "The Promise" and Nationalism
It Ain't About Bending, It's About Money
We Need to Talk About Korra and the addendum
LoK as a Rorschach Blot and the Problem of Telling
LoK, Being on Team Human, and Stories About Nothing
How You Can Have a Bunch Of Great Ideas and Still Fuck Up Real Bad
Korra as the Avatar and Bending as a Defining Feature
Coraline
The Monstrous Mother: from Beowulf to Coraline
The Dark Knight Rises
http://wrongquestions.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-dark-knight-rises.html - more a review than an essay but brings up some excellent points
Ender's Game
Ender and Hitler: Sympathy for the Superman and
Creating the Innocent Killer - two essays that examine the troublesome morality in the Ender's Game series
Harry Potter
Man with Pickaxe: the Myth of Canon
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Afterword
Harry Potter and the Doctrine of the Calvinists
John Carter (movie)
Hulk vs. the John Carter Script
The Matrix
What Was the Matrix - a discussion of narcissists in the modern age.