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There's a lot of writing debate about "pantsers" vs "plotters." FWIW, I think that phrasing fails to capture what's actually in play: ITERATION
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When working on something, ask yourself: is the most efficient way to improve this story through repeated iteration, or through careful planning?
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When you start thinking this way, it's clear that size of the project is an important factor. Are you writing a short story? Wing it! And then, once you've written it, re-write it from scratch! Do that 10 times in a row, and you'll end up with a polished final draft in no time
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But that same approach applied to a novel can be disastrous. You can do many iterations of a chapter/scene ... but of an entire novel? That will add YEARS to the process. For the long, slow projects, a little plotting saves an enormous amount of time.
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All this to say, when I'm starting something new, I'm always asking myself: Is it just as fast to write and re-write this thing as to plan every word before I start? Often the answer is YES.
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This is actually a very versatile tool that extends beyond writing. Example: Yesterday I recorded a 15min video lecture about Baba Yaga. I messed up at the very end. I had a choice to make at that point ...
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