1. Start with an interesting situation and image. Explore it for a while, ask questions about the situation and weave the answers into the story.
2. Figure out where you want it to end.
3. By now the characters will have established themselves and their desires. Figure out ways to drop situations on the characters that motivate them to go where you want them to. If they refuse then keep trying.
4. Continue until the story's finished.
5. Publish it, for whatever values of "publish" you're comfortable working for - online, self-pub, submissions to publishers/agents, whatever.
6. Take a break. If you enjoyed it then start again.
Or, in the language of the OP, switch between pants-ing and planning. Neither one will cover everything you need IMHO.
Also:
0. Read a lot. In whatever genre you want to work in, and outside of it. Read great stuff, good stuff, bad stuff. Be able to tell the difference; apply that critical eye to your own work.
In case anyone needs some prodding, read Margaret's bio and check out her work. I just started Decrypting Rita -- it's a captivating story, innovatively told:
1. Start with an interesting situation and image. Explore it for a while, ask questions about the situation and weave the answers into the story.
2. Figure out where you want it to end.
3. By now the characters will have established themselves and their desires. Figure out ways to drop situations on the characters that motivate them to go where you want them to. If they refuse then keep trying.
4. Continue until the story's finished.
5. Publish it, for whatever values of "publish" you're comfortable working for - online, self-pub, submissions to publishers/agents, whatever.
6. Take a break. If you enjoyed it then start again.
Or, in the language of the OP, switch between pants-ing and planning. Neither one will cover everything you need IMHO.
Also:
0. Read a lot. In whatever genre you want to work in, and outside of it. Read great stuff, good stuff, bad stuff. Be able to tell the difference; apply that critical eye to your own work.