Getting started.

    Okay so this goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) but you need to have or have access to a manual transmission car.  Reading my advice and not being able to practice it will not help you get better.  If you know someone that drives a stick shift take every opportunity you get to be in the car with them.  Watch their feet, hands, the dashboard if you can and listen to the way the car sounds when certain maneuvers are performed.  If this option is not available to you that's fine. Just make sure you have a vacant area to practice in.
    The first thing you'll notice is that there are three pedals and the shifter is missing all letters besides "R" for reverse.  There are the traditional gas and brake pedals, then all the way to the left is the clutch pedal.  This is the most important part of a manual car as no movement can occur without the implementation of the clutch (unless on an incline but we'll get to that later).  Now put the key in the ignition and start the car.  Oops won't start will it?  Try pushing the clutch all the way to the floor and turning the key.  Most modern  manual cars will not start without the clutch depressed to save strain on the starter and as a safety precaution.  If the car is in gear and you started it without the clutch depressed it would lurch forward which can be potentially dangerous if someone is in front of you.  Chances are that your car is modern enough to have this fail safe.  Make sure your parking brake is engaged and take your foot of the clutch quickly.  Feel that terrible jerk and hear your engine cut off?  That my friend is called stalling, you don't want that. The reason that I purposely made you do that was so you knew what it felt like, because the truth is it's gonna happen to you a lot when you first start and I don't want you to freak out when it does.  The car stalled because you let the clutch out too fast, without giving it enough gas.  You told the car to go and didn't give it any power.  Now depress the clutch, turn the key off, then restart the car.
    Now look at your shifter.  The top of the knob outlines the layout of your gears in a weird "H" pattern.  Depending on the make and year of your car reverse will either be in the bottom right corner or the top left.  To put the car into reverse you need to press down on the shifter and move it into reverse.  This prevents you from accidentally shifting into reverse while driving.
    Depress the clutch, put the car in reverse and slowly bring the clutch pedal up until you hear the engine slow and the car starts rolling, then let off the clutch completely while giving it gas. Getting going in reverse is a lot easier than first gear and it makes it easier for you to learn the friction point.  Okay to stop you can either depress the clutch, then step on the brake, step on the brake until the car comes to a slow crawl then shift into neutral and step on the brake until you stop.  Never use the brake to come to complete stop while in gear, this will cause you to stall.
    Step on the clutch, put the car into first and begin letting off slowly until you start rolling then add gas.  The easier way to start is to give it about give it gas until the rpms reach 1500 then release the clutch.  Starting without any gas however will make you a better driver as you will have more clutch control.  Practice going and stop a couple times until you can do it instinctively.  Congratulations, you have just mastered the hardest part of driving a manual: moving from a dead stop.