I have so many regrets on how I started, but didn't know how much guitar playing would play a part in my life when I was 18-20 years old...too many pretty women and parties:

1.  Look through your favorite artist guitar tab books at local music shop and go through them and find a book that seems to be the easiest to play first via chords and learn how to play all or most of the songs in book along with cd from start to finish perfectly minus guitar solo (play rthymn during solo).  This will provide you with knowledge of chords and importantly timing. Only try to tackle guitar solo's after you can play a few songs and don't spend much time on it...stay focused on playing songs from start to finish, even if boring...will help your soloing out later....baby must crawl before it walks. 

2. Once you have a few songs down from book, put the guitar down and disect the chords and how artist laid them out, look at his/her guitar solo and notes played over what chords. Then go home and copy the chord structure of one of the songs you can play well and change timing and feel to create your own song and yes....write lyrics, even if simple and start singing.  Singing is very important part and will help you understand how to play lead guitar later...part of a master equation...don't not do it, you'll regret this later if you do.

3. Record your self, I still use ACID Studio, a cheap $75.00 software and a $5.00 plastic computer gooseneck mic plugged directly into PC.  Listen to yourself and enjoy...love to listen to yourself play, it's an accomplishment..I would rather hear myself for good or bad then any artist-- I still isten to over 100 songs I've written over the years...most bad, but some ingenious raw stuff I find from the early days...anyway, create your own music library

4. Start playing in front of people, but only play what you know, don't throw on the OD pedal and just start soloing, you'll sound like shit, trust me...strum songs people can sing along to. Strum, Sing and play in Time!!!

5. Don't worry too much about theory yet, just learn your chords and know how to play them without looking in book in two positions on the neck.

6. If you're still after a year truly in love with guitar, I would get some lessons....and voice lessons.

7. Look up Brandon's THEORY THREAD in this forum, even if doesn't make sense, always read it.

Have fun playing the six string plank for a lifetime and if you get some simple/cheap recording software..share your clips on this forum, don't be bashful, we're all just a bunch of hacks!