Quite often, I have the end in mind before I even start the story. It's the journey to the end that sometimes takes different twists and turns.
Almost always!
I usually have an idea how I expect a story to go, but as the old saying goes — no plan survives contact with the enemy. While I don't see stories or characters as enemies, once the words start going down and the characters are actually doing things, they often seem to get a life of their own and the ending I had envisioned falls to the wayside. It even happens with Micro-fiction stories, which seemed strange to me at first. I mean how far can a character steal a story line when you only have 100 words to work with. The answer turns out to be an awful lot! Just recently the ending of one story hijacked by the characters turned into the beginning of another story with totally different characters and I had no idea where the story was going to go. Sometimes I think I'm only along for the ride!
Brooke
Meddle Not In The Affairs of Dragons, for we are Crunchy and Good with Ketchup!
With me, most times it has been a short single chapter story, in which something about it just demands I come back and write more. And it may be the setting, or the characters. But 2 of my longest stories started exactly that way. Intended on being only a single shot, but I just could not stop writing.
I only ever have a beginning, or the kernel of an idea. I never know beforehand where the story will lead me. It's one of the reasons I can never complete the multi-part efforts I begin.
I often start with a general idea and most of the time, it goes different ways.
I had a clear plan for my series but due to TOS, I will have to deviate slightly. I have everything mapped out and an ending as a rough draft. If I actually get around to releasing it as an ebook(s) the thriller parts I'm glossing over may be in it. With my competition piece I also completely mapped out the storyline although it was on a smaller scale.
Regularly. I'm honestly trying hard to learn how to write the story I intended to. 15 chapters in to a story currently outlined for 116 parts, I'm doing okay. It was originally meant to only be 100, but whatever.
"the Great God (snicker)" - James 'Bear' Llewellyn
I have similar issues with my characters the Brooke does... little fuckers are always running with scissors.
Changing the satnav and taking a different route to the same place, sometimes a totally different end.
Picking up unexpected people en route.
Inviting strangers to join in.
Raiding other character's stories isn't uncommon.
Even kicking and screaming until I write another story for them.
Forget the end, one I'm working on at the moment they, all downed tools and it started somewhere very different and very unexpected.
