After asking the question What if? And developing your characters. It is now time to decide to plot or not to plot.
Some like to see where the story takes them. Namely without plotting out your novel. This can be fun, adventurous and frustrating. Having done this, I found myself hitting roadblock. Often unsure of what will happen next.
Plotting can give you direction. It is helpful in knowing what will come next, which scenes to focus on. Connecting the dots between those smaller scenes to the larger scenes.
I prefer a happy medium. Enough of an outline and character development to lead the way. However still enough flexibility for those fly the pants moments. On other words a firm Plantser.