on Jane Friedman site:

How do you start a story? I don’t mean your first sentence, but rather how does the story begin to take shape in your mind? What is your story entry point?

I find writers approach stories from one of three entry points: plot, character, or situation.

A writer may be very clear about what they want to happen in the premise (plot entry point) or they may clearly understand who their protagonist is (character entry point) or they may want to explore a particular event, place or circumstances (situation entry point).

Your entry point is usually where you have the most clarity on your story. But so many writers falter with next steps, and that makes for a more painful revision process later. However, if you identify your story entry point, you can avoid some of the most common manuscript missteps.