How exciting, Brandi! I hope you enjoy writing fiction and that it takes you on a wonderful journey

As for your question…I think it’s different for everyone. My very first novel, I had an idea what I wanted my book to be about, but I didn’t have a scene-by-scene breakdown, or even a plot outline, so it was very much about discovering where the characters took me on the page.

Now I tend to prefer to have an outline with plot points. I don’t always follow it exactly, but it’s nice to have so that I don’t wander around aimlessly. If a character does something that surprises me or the story shifts in a new direction, I go with it and readjust the outline if I need to. It’s kind of like navigating a new town; you don’t want to get completely lost, so it’s good to have a map. But you should also let yourself explore a bit along the way. Good luck!

I think it really depends on the writer and what works for each person! Sometimes I know where a story is going, but usually not. I’ve read all different things about well-known writers: some of them only write with the end in mind and build outlines before starting a novel, while others don’t want to know where the story is going. I think Steven King talks about this in his book, On Writing. Do what feels right to you– if you want to proceed without knowing your destination, do it. If you feel better knowing where you’re heading, make an outline. Don’t stress, though!