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Hi usmgrad. Not sure if I am too late in replying to this, but here's my contribution to your poll:
In writing long stories, I usually have an outline of events that will happen and what their significance or contribution to the greater story would be. This holds for character development throughout the story, as well as plot (for instance, I know what I issue I want addressed, and then have to find an event or whatever to get that done). I try not to put in extraneous bits that do not contribute to the story (or in the case of the 'Conversations'/'Insights'/'Plans' set of stories, bits that do not contribute to the overall collection of stories). This outline isn't overly developed, though, and gives me a lot of room to play around. This looseness is primarily due to the fact that I write this stuff for fun, not as work!
I have always - before Fresh Start - completed an entire story before posting it. In fact, the idea of not doing so made me quite nervous since it would mean that the story wouldn't be as tight. I'm still not sure how I feel about Fresh Start (although I think I may have figured out an ending that will fit wonderfully, fingers crossed), but I'm pretty sure it's the first and last time I post a story without completing it. I can only admire people who write chapter by chapter and do such a wonderful job of it.
That said, even though the story is completed before I post, I allow myself the flexibility of adding or changing things based on reader comments - often readers see things I completely overlook, likely because of the relatively short time between completing a story and posting it, and the absence of multiple drafts. I also usually go over each chapter in a long story multiple times to get the details and nuances right - especially dialogue and character reactions - but that might just be me.
Often, yes, the story does take me where it wants to go. I may have a vague idea of where I am beginning and where I want to end, but this can change as the story is being written. In fact, beginning, middle and end can change. I've just learn to go with it.
If I were writing novels with original characters and situations, I would not take this loose outline approach. I'd probably have a ridiculous number of cue cards and character charts and plot outlines and flow charts - the latter most probably written in magic marker on my walls. But then, I'm hardly a professional in writing fiction :)
