For me, the way to do this is as David Milch says with reference to Kierkegaard:,

....the self rests transparently in the spirit that gives you rise." This is a fancy way of saying that while you are your own singular thing, you're also everything that helped make you. In other words, everything that created you and got you to your current state is still a very visible part of you, therefore you transparently exist with it/rest in it.

My translation in relevance here: allow your inner spirit to guide your writing, and that would necessarily probably exclude an outline and maybe even extensive preparation, which I know are considered invaluable by some writers. However if you write what you know you really don't need to prepare. You are prepared, or your spirit is. That's not to say you don't go back and refine that first draft, as Milch also states. On the other hand, prep and outline may be a way to get to that inner spirit and force it into the open. I think writers naturally just want to sit down and start writing. I know I always felt that way and doing an outline first always felt forced and contrived. After listening to Milch I felt validated. This has worked for me and got me past a huge wall. In a way it's similar to meditation, as David Lynch says, which allows you to tap into the deepest part of you (and I would add, shut out all the noise). I can't imagine a better way of tapping into your individuality to come up with that prototype. Write what you know. But you may have to dig deep to realize what that is. After doing this and finishing a draft, I went back and made an outline based on the draft. It worked quite well to validate my method, I thought. Of course Milch also acknowledges that this may be at odds with what is commercial. But your task as a writer may be to reconcile that conflict.

Thanks for that, Jon. Always happy to have someone reference David Milch. Back in 2010, I did a 5 part series on a Milch presentation at the WGA, then updated it in 2014 to include video and additional info. You can see that here. I am a believer in outlines myself, especially if one hopes to work in TV and/or go up for writing assignments in Hollywood. The turnaround time is so compressed, unless a writer has extraordinary self-confidence and skill to be able to find the story while writing it, it just makes sense for most writers to learn how to break story in prep. Two provisos: (1) While I may work up a thorough outline, when I open up my script file and am set to write a scene, I get into a sort of meditative head-space, clear my mind, and feel my way through the actual writing. In writing and rewriting, there is always that push and pull of rationality and emotions, as well as being INSIDE the story universe among the characters and OUTSIDE tweaking and shaping the narrative from a writerly perspective. But the first passes at scenes, I really try to come from a more 'spiritual' place. (2) If you're writing something on spec and there's no time-crunch, and your instinct is to find the story after typing FADE IN, go for it! With no one breathing down your neck with a hard and fast deadline, you can approach the writing however you want. And bottom line, no matter what the circumstances, deadline or not, I would still say there is no right way to write. Figure out the process that works best for you. I may be a pretty fierce advocate when it comes to breaking story in prep, but that's primarily because much of what I do here at GITS and at Screenwriting Master Class is to give writers practices and tools that can help them prepare for writing in Hollywood. But creativity trumps all that. And if someone is at their best creatively NOT outlining and they are productive in their process, I completely support that choice. Again, whatever works for YOU!