Furry Times

 By Van Hill Millvele

I’ve started publishing my writing in my late teens. Though I might have had a poem or two published before then.  I have learned a lot, and I feel my second book is better than my first. 

My first “Technically Furry” novel was written in 2000/2001. I had one Furry race in it before I rewrote the novel.  Having all the characters are anthropomorphic aliens was a choice I should have made from the very start. 

Anthropomorphic Aliens are easier to visualize than an obscure unknown alien race.   I’m still learning how to write even though I have been published. 

 Writing for Furry or Furry/Anthro fiction has a unique set of challenges.    

I wanted to give tips and hope to people who are unpublished Furry writers of fiction.  Many of you will most likely be even better writers than I am if only you get over your fear.

Being unpublished does not mean you are not a writer.  It just means you haven’t submitted your work, or you have not self-published your work.  ‘Author’ is the term for a published writer.

 Being a writer is not a magical special club that only a few chosen ones get to take part in.  Writing takes grit, imagination, and a thick skin.  

You can do this, or rather write. 

The Tips:

1. For the unpublished. If you can’t find the right publisher for your story, you can become that publisher and even publish other Furry Fiction writers. 

2. Do your Furries/Anthro blush or not blush, and why? If you were writing about animals that gained intelligence they would not blush.  If you’re writing about Humanoid Aliens with some animal features they would.  How much animal behavior do you want in your fiction? With my books, I have some behavior, but since they are aliens, it allows them more Human characteristics.  So, the Furries/Anthros in my stories would have, clothes, and have families, and even have part-human children called Halflings.  Though I do put some animal behavior. I keep it to a few traits.  I feel having some animal traits are important. 

3. One of the biggest problems I have had as a Furry fiction writer is people have confused my writing for kids’ books or “YA” young adult fiction.  Even though my books are not mature.  Plots for a semi innocent sweet science-fiction piece for adults might sound weird and gross if the characters were teenagers even though my adult book is tamer than some YA books. I worked around this by adding a warning, so people know what they are getting.  

 You can check out my warning here and might consider making one of your own.https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/furry-galaxy-75-book-two-dragonfly-probes

4. Are your Furry/Anthro vegetarians, or is there a difference between the sentient and non-sentient animals? Food is an important aspect of good fantasy writing. It is even more so when ethical constructs might need to be addressed.   I watch history and fan-based cooking shows on YouTube for world-building.  Even though my books are blatant comedies it is still important to figure out what your Furry Characters eat. Some of my Aliens get drunk and high on chocolate because of separate hormones that give them animal features and a longer lifespan have a reaction with caffeine. 

5. Many people have their own personal likes and dislikes especially when it comes to Furry/Anthro fiction.  Some readers had it when the word ‘pups’ are used for offspring, yet others love it.    Some hate having Fursonas mentioned my books Human Furries and anthropomorphic aliens exist in the same universe.  Others want Furries to have paws, or fine with fingers and paw pads. You will not be able to please everyone.

6. If you have a story or book ready to publish.  If you are writing Furry Fiction original or fan fiction, you need to use the right tags and descriptions. Do not use the words Lime, Fluffy, Sweet, or Clean, if you have sexual content or spicy times.  Don’t use these terms in your title. Clean means there is no sexual content, and the book is basically G and might have a kiss at the end. Misusing tags can get you blocked and reported. Many young furs look up Furry fiction with their parents.  Tag abuse can give parents the wrong impression. Lime is another word for ‘Clean’ and used mostly for Wattpad. Fluffy is also another Wattpad term that means no sex.  The writing I write falls under the tag ‘sweet,’ which means there is hand-holding, kissing, sometimes mild innuendo, but sex while sometimes implied is never on screen. Sweet movies range from “PG” to a “PG13 without nudity.” Do not use the tags smut, if your books are not sexual either. 

7. Make friends with other furry writers. This can help you feel less isolated.

8. Figure out your Furry characters by writing about them more and be honest.  One problem that can accrue with writing is that the other characters can proclaim the character as amazing, but their behavior is a bit of a jerk. Having a character be a jerk can work if you are honest with your characters. 

9. Have fun and write.  Writing is an amazing hobby that more people should take part in.