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A more flexible question might be, how do you think about structure? I'll pretend you asked; if that seems impolite or bothers you in any way, then please accept my apologies.
I often start with a question, as I expect Victor Hugo did. I picture him asking himself: How might I construct an entire novel around the repercussions of someone stealing a single loaf of bread?
In that sense, stories can be like puzzles for me.
I tend to be anal about resolving threads, which does generate a certain formalism. I also began as a composer, so I like the idea of a novel that contains smaller forms within itself, rather like a numbers opera.
One novelist I know, a horror writer who studied with Paul Bowles and worked in an emergency room for several years, begins every chapter by consulting an outline. Then he violates his outline with the chapter he's writing, after which he rewrites the outline all over again. He's had about five books published so far and they've mostly done quite well, with blurbs from people like James Ellroy.
It seems more like a compulsive ritual than an approach to form, but then Hemingway got into the mood by sharpening pencils, so at least my friend's method actually pertains to structure.
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