Where Does It Start, Now?

In some fantasy books, there's a few chapters before the actual story starts.  Usually it's because of the plot of the book.


I moved my WiP's and potential WiP's to Google Docs.  While waiting on Lacey for lunch, I sat at a computer in the library (my happy place!) and started writing what would be the new first chapter if I decided to add it to the WiP.  I wrote over 1000 words.


It would be crucial to the plot, because it was a very important event in the character's childhood.  It's actually the story really starts, in a way, although the character may not have known it then.  


If I didn't do it there, it would just be a flash back later in the story anyway, albeit condensed  So, make it all chronological or do flashbacks?  Mention it in the dialogue?


So so so many options.


Even if I don't use it, I'm still glad I'm writing it.  I may flesh out the back story more completely that way, and may even just rewrite it from there.


Hmm...that may be a good idea.  My problem is that I don't write anything that's fully novel-length.  The typical length for my books is usually between 40-60k before I go back and add essential scenes that I may have left out in the first go around.


When Lacey came, I clicked on the "word count" to show her all I'd done in the hour and a half I'd been in the library.  She wasn't as excited about it as I was for some reason.  Wonder why...