I am finding Scrivener very useful with its story template as this features character and place settings with things to fill in about physical description, notes, external and internal conflicts, personality, background, sights, sounds and smells. By the time I've filled one of these in, I've got my outline for my story! These templates are invaluable and it is so nice not to have to create one each time.
I find having a framework for my stories useful. I find, once completing these templates, when I settle down to actually write the story, I write it more quickly than I would have done without the frame to guide me. And the great thing is I could add categories of my own if I wanted to do so.
So yes I like to make things up but I also love having "tracks" to follow which help me make things up more efficently!