Ahhhh, interesting. So, without noticing it, you could have started with the developed character, forced them into a tough situation, then end up writing a whole bunch of inconsistencies and impossible actions because the character was already at their “the end” stage. Then you create a bunch of weird plot holes and confusing character arc.
This is good exercise actually. You can try the Wattys-summary method even. You’ll have to grab the most important plot points, but you’ll be able to immediately notice where it’s lacking because you have to be so sparse but make sure to tell the whole story. That really helped with my editing of Between Roses when I entered it into the Wattys a few years ago.
I realized there were some places where the things happening were pointless or not fleshed out enough. The dialogue and character interactions were lacking in some parts. Scenes could be more intensely described or cut back. Helped me edit it.
