I would guess it is a combination of both for Fujishima-sama. The way I write is similar to the way JMS (creator of Babylon 5) writes. I know the characters inside and out, know where I want them to end up, and know the main stops along the way. The middle stuff is fluid, and sometimes a character will surprise you, and go in a direction you never intended.
Still, there is a fixed destination, and sometimes you may have to nudge a character back onto a path. This is the case with my AMG fanfic I'm writing. At one point, Urd "said" to me, "Forget that, buddy, I'm doing this, not what you had planned." Typically when that happens, it is best to go along with the character... you'll usually end up with a better story.
Larry
10-Mar-2005