It’s impossible to talk about plotting your novel without discussing character as the two are inevitably intertwined throughout your book. I also don’t believe there should be any difference between genres, as character is just as important in genre thrillers or romance as it is in literary fiction.

However, it’s important not to get too hung up on the order in which you have your ideas, as each author starts with different elements of a story at different times

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2016/12/23/writing-character-plot/