Different writers work in different ways. Some may prefer to plan things meticulously before beginning to write. I prefer to just starty with an idea and let it take me where it will. The better How To guides don't try to tell you that kind of detail, but focus instead on various ways you can try to brighten the writing, different ways to organize a story's flow, different approaches to time and pacing, etc. The key is to suggest a number of alternatives. You still have to experiment and find which ones work best for you in different situations. Most of this you can probably get for yourself by reading many books by many authors, and paying attention to what they are doing.