As a writer, I find firmer deadlines an essential motivator. Just like the weekly word count check ins we have at paperpushers, except with a firm number expected. I really don't think it's too much to ask for the great work the artists do. I know not everyone works with a super detailed outline and follows a super rigid schedule. I know I tend to have bursts of super productivity and lulls where things 'just won't write dammit!' but I don't think it's in any way unreasonable to expect 15k to be finished before getting matched with an artist.

Also, as someone who wrote over 100k last time... I don't think it's unreasonable for a massively longer fic to be expected to have 50% of the estimated final word count or close to it. I don't know if other massive fic writers would agree with me, but 15k of a fic that's estimated at over 80k isn't very fair to the artist either. Then again, I may have really overwhelmed my artist by sending 50k+ of fic to her right out of the gate... um... oops on that reni...

Anyway... I'm agreeing with, well just about everyone here it seems, that having a concrete, 'you must have at least this submitted' rough draft commitment from writers before they get an artist seems more than fair to me. It doesn't stop people from writing as Cat 2 or prevent writers from seeking out an artist on their own if they so choose. It just makes sure that artists have more fic to work with, which makes for better art :)