Ok, for those of you who didn't know, I've never written anything longer than one short story and that was several years ago. And for the past three years or so I'd pretty much resigned that I was a worldbuilder and not a writer. Today though I had a book idea come to me that actually feels like it might be time to try writing again, so here's my question:
Where exactly do I start?

In Christ,
Jordan

You start with a logline, or hook. I usually visualize what the first chapter is going to sound like as if this idea was already written in a book. Try and sum the idea up in one sentence, then work from there with all the questions: where, what, why, when, and how.

That's probably not a huge help, but it's how I begin! Or, you can do what a friend of mine does; visualize scenes of the book and just write the scenes down, linking them all together by the end of your novel.

Personally I like to start with writing a plan. I sit and think about an idea, maybe even just a creature that I like and I try to build a story around it. When I have my plot written down I then start to write. I find I cannot write without a plot so that's what I always start with!

I can't tell you where to start. But I always start with a character. I usually come up with an ending or climatic scene that leads me to my plot, but then I need characters to write about. So I sit down with my pencil and I find a character, I find a starting point, an opening scene, and I start writing. I add in other characters along the way. Gradually the whole thing opens like a budding flower until you can see how it leads up to the original idea that gave you the plot. This can happen either in an outline or writing on the fly, the latter is how I prefer it.

These have all been great ideas. I should've stated my original question better, I have a decent understanding of the basic plot and a new concept of the main characters. My main curiosity was how do I go about writing this beast. And y'all have certainly given me some excellent pointers on how to do that in spite of my poorly worded question. Thanks!
Anyone else have a pearl of wisdom to drop in my ear?

The beginning is always a good place.

"We'll start at the very beginning. A very good place to start."



Me, I just start writing. Grab your MC, stick him in a logical beginning place and just... write.

Anywhere you want.

With the exception of very short works, I almost never start at the beginning. I start wherever I have the most inspiration, for whichever scene whose words are running through my head. When I finish that, I skip to whatever scene strikes me next. Eventually, I get enough of a feel for the book that I can revise as necessary and string all the pieces together.

Another thing I tend to do is write the ending first. This is an accepted writing technique that I've heard promoted by established writers and producers. (Including the director of WALL-E!) Writing the ending first can help you because you'll know where you're going. You'll have a better idea of what has to happen and where people end up. You'll have purpose for all of the earlier portions of the book because you have a clearly defined goal. I find that writing the ending first helps me to get there - because I know where I'm going, I'm not as likely to derail along the way.

When my project first came along it was in bits and pieces, I would just see something and it would inspire a scene, so I'd write it down somewhere. I still haven't added them to my current work but it helps the different parts of the story to come together. Hope that helps.

Which MC do I start with, I have at least four perspective-characters Just teasing, I understand what you're saying.
And thanks to all of you for the tips.

Write the story from each of the prospective characters' perspectives. (Need a tongue-tied smilie...)

Seriously.

I generally define which character will be changed the most and is the most interesting. From there, I think about the setting, other characters, and a few scenes. Then I start writing.

I started with a description of my MC girl. And an idea from a dream. And I gathered ideas in my head until I was ready to write a pivotal scene. So I did. Then I started back at the beginning.

Basically I wrote down a few pivotal scenes, which gave me more story ideas, which gave me an idea for how to start the story.

Plus, I already have the ending planned in my head. It's going to be a "happy-sad" ending (one of the best kinds, according to my sister, and I think I agree).

Mr. Seer, how is your story coming?