I watched an interesting program with Guillermo Arriaga (21 Grams) who says he does no research, no planning, no treatment etc.

I struggle to plan but have always been told to plan, research and know everything about the characters I am writing.

Does anyone else just start with an idea and a blank page?

It's how you start.
But not how you finish.

In my experience it is where that counts.

Dance like no one's watching.

Appetite comes with eating - Rabelais.

The more I read of what various successful writers do the more I think the only real rule on process is: "Do what works for you." But you have to be honest with yourself. And try things out - to find out what actually works, not what you wish was all you had to do!

For me, I like to have an idea of the end, and a clear idea of the main premise or situation and the character in it - although these might be developed with some "draft zero" work. But I have to resist over-outlining or I never actually write the thing.

What about the rest of you?

You have to have characters and situations and actually write. The third point is where I fall down.

Just write, at least to begin with. People talk about writing so much they never get round to it. Write, find out what you're good at and what you're not. The methodology will arise from the mistakes you make, and the improvements you want make.