[Warren_Paul]

I find that if I try to plan out the story before I even start writing it, I usually go way off track. I know the way the story ends, but getting there is what's enjoyable about writing for me. If I knew every step of the path I'd get bored quick - it's an exciting adventure exploring what happens to my characters before I even know myself.

If I write a synopsis beforehand, I never, ever, keep to it. I'm an organic writer though, so that's to be expected; I run off on tangents as ideas come to me while writing, but it's a good thing - makes the story much more natural imo.

Maybe it's just because I'm an organic writer, but I find if I plan a story and keep exactly to that plan - ignoring all the ideas that come to me as I write - the story feels fake, contrived and a little unnatural to me. For me, letting my organic side take over results in a much more real feeling story. I have a general idea of where I'm going with the story, and that's it - only major plot points. I have no idea what each individual dialogue or decision my characters make until I write it.

I find I never have any trouble filling in plot details or figuring out how things happen, it just kinda falls into place for me as I write. Then I go back and improve it through second drafts/editing - just like the first draft, I let my organic side take over with the second draft and I usually think up ideas I missed first time around that improve the story considerably.