I haven't written a TON of long fic, though I'd like to do more in the future. But what I've done with my longest ones is something along these lines. I write in Scrivener, and it helps to have access to multiple documents in one program window. So I create a folder for the fic idea, and then I usually have three documents for it. The first one I just write the general idea down, and pretty much in a stream of consciousness way, just write anything and everything I can think of. As I write about the idea, usually more ideas come to me for it, and I pretty much just ramble until I'm out of steam.
Then I start a second document for a more streamlined outline. It's still pretty rough -- my outlines never look like a formal outline or anything, but it's basically organizing my first document into something more coherent. Making sure I have an arc for the story and figuring out how to get to where I want to end up. It's usually broken up into scenes and I will stick bits of dialogue into the outline or any little details that come to me that I don't want to forget while I'm actually writing.
The third document is for the first/rough draft. I start writing, and refer back to the outline and general notes when I need to. Usually once I start writing, things in the outline will change. I'll get new ideas and I'll have to go rework the arc or add in scenes or move them around, etc. But I like having the separate docs to do that in. If I get a random idea while writing but I don't know where it will go, I'll stick it in the first messy doc. Any research or stuff I need to look up in canon, etc., goes in that first doc too.
I tend to write chronologically unless I know I'm going to be writing something that skips around in time. Usually I end up writing in the order that the scenes are laid out in the fic though in that case. So it's always from beginning to end.
Even for shorter fics, I usually have at least two docs. One for the messy ideas and random thoughts and snippets of dialogue etc. And then one for the actual draft. I think the only time I haven't done something like that is for drabbles and really short ficlets. But otherwise, I always use at least two docs.
I'm curious to see how you decide to approach your long fics! I do find people's writing processes fascinating and am always looking for things to try myself too.
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Then I start a second document for a more streamlined outline. It's still pretty rough -- my outlines never look like a formal outline or anything, but it's basically organizing my first document into something more coherent. Making sure I have an arc for the story and figuring out how to get to where I want to end up. It's usually broken up into scenes and I will stick bits of dialogue into the outline or any little details that come to me that I don't want to forget while I'm actually writing.
The third document is for the first/rough draft. I start writing, and refer back to the outline and general notes when I need to. Usually once I start writing, things in the outline will change. I'll get new ideas and I'll have to go rework the arc or add in scenes or move them around, etc. But I like having the separate docs to do that in. If I get a random idea while writing but I don't know where it will go, I'll stick it in the first messy doc. Any research or stuff I need to look up in canon, etc., goes in that first doc too.
I tend to write chronologically unless I know I'm going to be writing something that skips around in time. Usually I end up writing in the order that the scenes are laid out in the fic though in that case. So it's always from beginning to end.
Even for shorter fics, I usually have at least two docs. One for the messy ideas and random thoughts and snippets of dialogue etc. And then one for the actual draft. I think the only time I haven't done something like that is for drabbles and really short ficlets. But otherwise, I always use at least two docs.
I'm curious to see how you decide to approach your long fics! I do find people's writing processes fascinating and am always looking for things to try myself too.