I never did. All I wanted to be was a veterinarian. When I accomplished that and found it was very different to what I imagined ( a common problem) I found motherhood and then returned to writing. I now see publishing fiction as my ideal full time career/retirement plan.
I'd say drafting the story. I usually write the synopsis first and let my imagination run free based on a romance arc (as I write fantasy romance) and then use that to guide my story. However, It's still a very basic outline and between my characters going off on tangents and timelines not meshing, sometimes I get stuck!
