How do you plot your stories?

For those of you that write short stories and novels, what is your thought process when you go to write a new short story or begin a novel? Do you just start writing and see where it takes you? Do you start with a character, concept, opening line? Or are you the kind that likes to outline, plot out each character and each event so you know what exactly is going to happen? For me, it varies. I've written short stories with some of those things in mind; I don't do usually do a lot of planning before hand because, when you do that, there's room for growth and change and you can think of a lot of ideas just from the writing process.

What about you?

I generally start out with an idea, and try to write an outline, however vague it may be, so that I know where the story's going to go. If it changes from there, I have enough to room to adapt accordingly.

I tend to get hit with an overwhelming urge to write the idea and, of course, rush into it head first.

I usually putter out before I can get the first chapter complete.

So I rewind and map out a vague timeline. I may switch events around or take a char out and save them for something else; it depends on the other stories I have going. It also depends on how my own life is going; when my emotions take a dip, so do my MC's, and that alters the story. (Dun like it, but I go with it.)

But under no circumstances do I write out anything but a few major events, character names, and a title. Planning my writing never ends up well.

I don't plot. I might have a vague idea of what I want to happen in my head and as I write I think of things I want to happen and jot them down, in the order they take place if I know, but apart from that I just write.

I wish I could talk to myself. I have a greatly organized mind that never seems to work for me, but does for everyone else. If I could though, I would plot it in point form and break it up into parts and chapters Then I'd edit and make sure I haven't plagarized it. Viola!

I vary. Lately, if I'm trying (keyword: trying) to write a novel, I've started outlining. That way, I know where to go, and ultimately what I'm trying to get at with where I'm going. Usually I find my characters spark the ideas ....

However, with short stories, I find I usually just write and watch what happens -- I don't like to play them, as anything could really happen ... However, that can happen too in novels ... but short stories just have the ability to pull random stuff out of me!

I've only written short stories for about four years. I don't plot much, if at all, but I tend to spend up to half an hour staring into space and trying to organise my thoughts. It takes me hours to write anything worthwhile. xD

I always start off with a character. Always. It's a bit of a weird way to start a novel, but hey, that's me for you.

What's even weirder is that I actually always start off with the same character - by that, I mean he always looks the same. Let's call him Dave. I put Dave into a situation in my head, then see how he reacts to it. For example, a fight. Sometimes, Dave joins in, and sometimes he just watches. After that, I make up a home life for him, then make up some friends maybe, then what he looks like e.t.c. Then BAM, I have a MC.

I think that's why I seem to want to have guys as my MCs, despite being a girl myself. It's all Dave's fault.

As for the plot itself, I generally start off with a beginning and an ending. I just have to fill the gaps in between. I'm big on character development and characters themselves, so I don't really plan the plot, but concentrate more on the characters. I always seem to make them have a screwed up family life too. It's funny. As for the plot, it just... happens.

Mind you, for my last novel, I did actually plan the last ten or so chapters. I gave a brief description of what would happen in each chapter, but I ended up going off track a bit anyway. So long as I have a basic plot in my head, I can cope.

For my shorter short-stories (under 2,000 words, say, where I basically focus on one scene) there's really nothing to outline, so I just wing those. However, I just wrote a 7,500+ word short story that I outlined extensively, and I never would've been able to finish it otherwise! Novels and I haven't tried working together in quite a long time, but whenever I do work up the courage to start a big project, I'll definitely try to outline at least basic plot points. I think it's important to give your piece direction-- otherwise you're just writing aimlessly. I'm too OCD to just "let things happen", haha. I need to know there's a light at the end of the tunnel.