m_findlow

Oh, no. 99.9% of the time I'm a complete pantser! I have no idea where I'm going with anything! It's only for the bigger projects. I've only done a handful in what I'd call the 10k plus range, but what I have learned from those is that they do need to be planned. Big fics are just too scary to attempt with no plan at all, or end up in disaster (as I discovered during my first go, writing myself into a corner that took me four months to get out of). A basic outline gives me something to work with so I can write with purpose and come up with all the nice little details and twists along the way. Plus, I can't write in a straight line. I write the bits that I get inspiration for, regardless of where they fit into the main story, and then have to piece it all together somehow. Without an outline I'd never have finished my winter companion piece in three weeks.
The one I'm working on now started months ago as a bit of a ramble for about 10k with no real plot progression. Lots of great detail and a massive Pinterest pinboard of pictures that I use for describing the setting, but the detailed plot is totally non-existent. It needs lots of love and a good chunk of hours for me to sit quietly somewhere and work out all the kinks in the storyline so it's not just one big boring mess.