I think it has more to do with the fact that the comics tend to take their time with the character and can use visuals to help get the feelings across better then any story. What authors need to learn is that when you have character ships, time is needed to really build up the relationship and in most stories people don't feel like taking the time to build those relationships so the love seems to come fast and out of nowhere at times. Shipping stories like Life of a Winning Pony work because they are long and we get to know the characters well so the ships feel more natural and the feeling of wanting to care is easier.