I think it's really important to understand that the steps are an experience, not an intellectual exercise. So finding someone who has had an experience with them-- has recovered-- is key to your experience.
And the notion that there are multiple ways to work them is popular, but really unsupportable when you read AA literature. They are clear-cut directions on how to recover, and they are written in the Big Book. The 12 and 12 provides some nice context, but lacks directions.
There are no writing directions for steps 1, 2, 3 in the Big Book, so why write anything? Reading from the preface to page 63 and going through it with your sponsor-- understanding the various parts of Step 1 (physical, mental, spiritual), the idea of willingness and your conception of a higher power in Step 2, and making a decision in Step 3. We start writing in Step 4.
I may sound a bit autocratic about this, but it's what worked for me and countless others. People's experiences may differ, but the process should really be the same.