Outline? What Outline?

I'm not too keen on outlines. Sure I like to have an idea of what is going to happen in my WIP, but never too much of an idea. I'll start with a paragraph description of the main characters (that I know of), a brief list of major scenes, a little history about the world, a dash of back story and I'm set to write. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But one thing I know doesn't work for me is too much of an outline. I've tried it. Didn't like it.

You see, with an outline I feel like I'm being boxed in. Like the story has no room to grow and spread its wings. I don't want to know everything that's going to happen before I write it. I don't want to know all about my characters. I want them to come alive on the page. Surprise me. Challenge me.

I'm a pantser, and proud of it. All you other pantsers out there represent!

Although, if I did outline, I won't be in the mess I am right now with my WIP. Oh well. I'm having fun writing it. I'll see where it takes me, then edit the hell out of it to put it back in its place.

After all, that's what pantsing is all about.