Where to start your novel?

On a writer’s group I belong to, someone asked yesterday where they should start in their process of writing their first novel. I thought I’d post my reply here in case it could help others as well. I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject (yet), but I do have some experience I thought worth sharing-

It is generally said writers fall between two extremes- Plotters and Pantsers.

There are different names out there for each type, but in short Plotters are people who plan the whole thing out i...