Won't happen...

Unfortunately, images are easier for people to 'consume' taking in the scene and idea of it within seconds, instead of minutes. Pictures are easier to understand at a glance. While written word may be the 'richer' experience, the common public wants their art and porn to be easy. In an age where digital media makes it comparatively easy to turn out image after image, in effect, 'mass-producing' unique artworks, written materials fall to the side. Writers, no matter what medium they use, pen and paper, or digital, can't make the process easier with the more modern tools. Sure the editing is easier, but the overall creative process remains largely unchanged. So with Art being easier and easier to produce, and written materials staying where they are, it's no shocker that the demand for art far above that for written works.

I don't have any delusions that it's ever likely to happen. But I can dream, can't I?

Heh. Nice dream, but it won't come to be.

This is a predominantly visual fandom. Art. Fursuits. Videos. The writers of the fandom have long either found other more fertile ground, given up (in varying degress), or found other ways of spending the enormous amount of time it takes to write. I fall into the latter camp, with Second Life and making embedded computers that control my christmas lights rather than crafting words that few will bother to read anyway.

There is ONE plus to being a writer here though, if I may add another line. There were about a dozen of us starting out about the same time in 1998. Of the dozen, I believe 6 have become professional writers who do it for a living. A good living too.

If you ARE able to write well enough and strong enough to pull the fandom eyes away from their eyeCandy, then you have skill enough to make it as a writer anywhere!

I'm curious what sort of writing those six do. Is it anything like the kind of writing they did when they did it for enjoyment?

Even so, I'd like to see more furry fans take notice of writing and literature, whether it's mine or someone else's.

I've been approached by several artists to do writing for them. *^^* It's exhilarating.

You are fortunate indeed, and no doubt it's due in part to your ability as a writer. Do you think that's due in part to you building up one particular character in the majority of your writing?

Characters are not a problem for me. ^^ My stories are filled with memorable, descriptive characterization. That's what I love about this fandom. Anyone can be virtually anything. ^^

I've had people commission stories based on art they are also commissioning - but never a story based on an existing picture.

And then there's Dombrus, who I like the art of, but love the stories behind it (that he also writes).

I'll have to look up Dombrus.

It helps if a writer can produce something to someone else's specifications, which not all writers can.

A lot of those comic strips that have potential but end up as just a mangled mish-mash of ideas strung together by art and fetishes and ultimately get dropped when it doesn't turn out like the artist wanted ... would probably be a LOT more improved and last longer.