Not a stupid question. But both. The first draft is largely "exploratory" (I pants the heck out of it), but I do some planning as I foresee areas of the story where I might get stuck. Before revisions I do a lot more planning.
I plan! So much planning. I have to know where I'm going in the end in order to write anything that could ever be good. So mostly I plan the plot and the character's character arcs, though I don't always go down the scene-by-scene level until I get stuck. Then I plan out every little detail because it helps a lot.
One thing I don't really plan is my characters - I try to plan the pacing of their arcs and what those arcs are, but it takes me ages to find my characters' voices - usually it actually takes multiple drafts for me to really feel comfortable inside their heads. It just doesn't come easily to me, but it's a skill I'm working on.
We're all stories in the end.
I think of you as a fairy with a green dress and a flower crown and stuff. -EternalRain
I think you, @Deanie and I are like the Three Book Nerd Musketeers of YWS. -bluewaterlily
I create a series of bullet points, events importaint to the story, and everything past that is free write. How they get there, who they meet, what they do, everything is left free flowing. Except for the result.
Self quoting is the key to sounding wise and all knowing.
I like to plan it out ahead of time, but it usually changes as I go. That way, I can have plenty of subtext while still not being completely sure of what’s going to happen next.
What's the point of success if it makes me miserable?
I both free write and plan (this question isn't stupid though). In my most recent novel, I wrote out a very very general chapter layout for myself with just a few sentences describing what I wanted to do in each chapter, so I knew where to go with the story before I started it, but otherwise I left it very open. And I didn't make myself stick to the chapter layout either. Around the middle of my book, when I realized that the action was slacking and there wasn't much going one, I threw in two characters who I did not originally plan to be in the book (but who both hold such crucial roles now that I can't imagine my book without them) and threw in some more action and problems for my characters to face. And then, eventually, I got back on track with my chapter layout. I think this type of writing works for me, but ultimately, everyone has their own way that they write, and no way is bad!
