I've seen a lot of advice that says you should plan your novel before you start to write it. But then I've heard hugely successful novelists say they start with a small idea and then just start writing and the novel develops as they go along. I follow the latter. I very much just start writing and the story changes and develops as I write. I don't think there is any right or wrong way, but just wondering what everyone else does?
My first novel, of fantasy genre was an unplanned one. I just went on developing my idea. I didn't plan in advance. But i believe that a bit of planning would do no harm. It actually helps to improve the standards of writing and forbids our thinking to go haywire!
My first novel was unplanned. I just started writing, and then went back a year later to it and rewrite it from scratch – still without a real plan, and like you I let the story develop at a natural pace.
Once I got mid way through I knew where I wanted to get to, and once I finished the first draft I immediately knew where the story would go next and began book 2 in the series.
I've put book 2 on the back burner while I focus on editing my first novel and getting it to submission standards.
I never ever plan my novels, they just flow spontaneously and that's the way I like it.
I usually begin with a description and then the plot takes its own toll. When I have established about half of it I begin daydreaming about the rest. I definitely would have never guessed my fiction novel to land face first in the 1950's at the birth of rock n' roll and the Nottingham riots.