I have created a new quest as per usual. Only this one I wish to start when the player reads a note.
I have attached the DeafultOnReadSetQuestStage script to the note and pointed it to the startup stage of my quest (10).
When I go in game and read the note, nothing happens.

if I fire up the console and type setstage myquestname 10 it works fine. I see the objective and its loaded in my journal.

Is the ..SetQuestStage not appropirate for STARTING a quest only advancing the stage of an already active one or something? This is all I can think is the issue?

Are the properties filled in the editor?

Yes. The properties for the DefaultOnReadSetQuestStage script are two-fold in the editor: myQuest Quest *myquestname* & myStage Int *mystarting stage*
Both are correct and point to the correct startup stage of my quest.
The quest itself is fine, as it can be started using the console. So I am fairly certain the issue is with the note and this function not working as I want.

edit: I guess I will try and not use the built in script and just write a custom one that does the same thing and see if that works

edit2: Yes it works fine. In fact it looks like the problem is the aliases. There is actually a version built in which does not use aliases called DefaultOnReadSetQuestStageNoAlias.
Guess thats the one you should use!

Oh! If it's not a ReferenceAlias, you want DefaultOnReadSetQuestStageNotAlias.psc instead.

Hehe yeah, all sorted. Thanks for the help Justin.