Welcome, @tracie2 
Another wonderful question- thanks for bringing it up!
The simple answer is to say that different spells tend to do things in different orders to achieve various outcomes. There’s no one right or wrong order to way to do things! I know this can be confusing, so when you are just starting out on your magickal path, it can be very helpful and reassuring to follow pre-made spells with clear instructions 
.
Guided Meditations are very helpful in building up spell confidence- the step-by-step guidance helps walk you through exactly what to do. My personal favorite are the Guided Tea Meditations 
, but I am a huge fan of the Guided Candle Meditations 
as well!
After you have followed along with a few, you’ll have a better idea about what works (or doesn’t work) for you. From there, you may consider experimenting with making your own spellwork- but there’s no rush! Take as much time as you need with the basics- building your foundation is the most important step as a beginner
Have you found the Self-Initiation Ritual yet? If you haven’t already, I recommend checking it out. It is a great guide designed to walk beginners through the basics of magick. You can assess the ritual through the picture below (just be sure you are logged in to your Spells8 account to be able to see everything!)
Wishing you all the best of luck- remember, take things comfortably at your own pace and always remember to have fun! Enjoy your journey into magick 
Blessed be!