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As someone new to playing the violin, how do you keep from getting overwhelmed by all the fingering, notes, bow placement, tuning, proper technique etc?
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Welcome @hollandmin !
Hard question. If you have no earlier musical background and this is your "first instrument" - sure - there's a lot to come to terms with, and you/whoever will have to start from "basics" and take one step at a time, which I imagine could possibly be a slow process... ( depends on how YOU learn, and how you choose to learn, and what resources and/or tutor you have - if you go down that road - I suppose )
If you have some kind of background ( not even actual playing of an instrument, but a simple understanding of music theory, like how scales are created - major, minor, or even "do re mi fa sol la ti do" kind of thing and you have an "ear" - sure - you can probably very quickly (once tuned properly) pick out a tune you know in your head.
It also IMO depends greatly on if you are learning as a youngster or an adult - we learn differently - and (again, just my opinion) an awful lot of stuff is targeted at "young starters" ( which is GREAT for them of course - and the paid tutors ! )
Anyway - in summary - I guess - work on only one or two aspects at a time. If you ARE a raw newcomer to music and violin is your first instrument - make sure you can tune your instrument properly (with whatever technology you have to assist - an actual tuner or a 'phone app etc) - then - simply spend some time experimenting with the open strings - work to draw a consistent even tone while bowing the open strings.
Forget about, or, put to the back of your mind, suggested "limitations" which might suggest "use only the middle 1/3rd of the bow" - open your mind, experiment, see what works, what doesn't. Observe how SENSITIVE the instrument is to changes on the bowing action. Work hard to keep the bow (largely) straight and at 90 degrees to the string(s) ... Observe how tilting the bow so that only the edge of the hair as distinct from the flat, can make such a huge difference both to volume and tonality. Observe how "different" ( not just in volume ) your instrument sounds when played close to, or even slightly over the edge of the fingerboard compared to how it sounds when played really close to the bridge...
And that;s just for starters - to me, that's some of the "important things" to understand about the instrument.
Being able to sight-read is at this point unimportant (as I see it) - learning to read music from sheet is really a separate issue (although, in beginners courses, it is almost always deemed highly important - personally, I don't know why!!!! )
Take your time, relax, don't feel overwhelmed - it will come to you !
All the best with your violin/fiddle journey ! 
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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thanks Billy, I appreciate it!!
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I ask myself this all the time, haha.
In the very beginning when I would start to feel frustrated and overwhelmed, I would stop practicing whatever was driving me nuts, and play something I already had down, even something as simple as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
I guess I still do that, but I tough it out through whatever I am practicing at least once all the way through, then will just go back to a tune I know and enjoy playing.
I always think, I know I must love the instrument with how much I let it torture me, haha.
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ROFL @damfino !!!
Hahahaha.... nah - it's not torturing you, it is simply seeking a symbiotic relationship, where you depend on each other !
The "devil's instrument" does have a certain mind-of-its-own - be cautious ! LOL 
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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I agree with a lot of the above. When I first started I had almost no music experience at all minus some piano lessons when I was a little kid so I was a fairly fresh slate. Since I lived where there were very few violin teachers at the time I used this site and I started with fiddlermans "finger on the g string" and I practiced and practiced and practiced until I was so frustrated that I began to play around a bit to just break it up . When I felt relaxed and calm again I would go back to the video re-watch it and try again and again. Slowly I found a system that worked for me.
I also invested in the essential elements books which allowed me some structure of how to proceed so I wasn't drowning in all the information and I think the first book does a great intro into bow holds, note reading, and slowly eases in the other symbols and embellishments and fingerings.
When you first start out find a teacher if you can....if there is no teacher find a book method (the three most popular are in order seem to be Suzuki, essential elements and O'Connor method. Some adults find Suzuki slow and painfully boring since it was designed more for the children, think twinkle twinkle little star, but many people praise how it builds on itself.) Then get a tuner or down load a tuner app and start playing.
Eventually you will find a system that works for you from learning new pieces, techniques, readings and such as well as practicing what you already know and just having fun in general.
I also find posting videos for critique as well as playing for Youtube/live is really a great incentive for me too 
Lead me, Follow me, or get out of my way!
~General George S. Patton
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Welcome to the forum,
So much has been said and can be said about being overwhelmed playing the violin.
Playing the violin requires us to be expert multitaskers, (which unfortunately I'm not good at) but as we progress in our learning about the violin, be patient Rome was not built in a day. Work on getting comfortable holding the violin and bow, this in it self is an evolving process, at least it has been my experience.
Don't short change just bowing open strings trying to make the absolute best sound you can make, making adjustments in bow speed, bow pressure and contact point. One thing I read and it made perfect since, "always make the best sound you can make" during practice, performance, anytime. Anyway isn't that what drew us to play the violin was it's voice?
Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy the opportunity to learn to play the king of the melody instruments.
Mark
Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.
Albert Sammons
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I realize this question is a bit old (and I've only been playing a couple weeks), but I learned something on my own the other day that no one can ever really teach you--you need to play the instrument as if you are its master, even if you aren't. I've run through plenty of bowing exercises, fingering exercises, posture exercises, and all of the other exercises you can think of. What I learned is that playing tentatively (as if you don't know what you're doing, which many of us don't) will make you sound terrible. Whatever you're working on, play it like you own it, even if you know it sounds like a cat in a blender. At least if you're putting your heart into it, if you still suck at something, it can be fixed. Depending on your ear (can you hear your own mistakes?), you may be able to identify what you're doing wrong and fix it through repetition. If you don't have that natural ear, your teacher certainly can tell you what you're doing wrong and advise how to fix it.
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@wonderputz I think what you're finding is self-confidence 
Let us know how you're progressing.
Bob
Bob in Lone Oak, Texas
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@wonderputz - Interesting take on learning and enjoying what you do. Sounds like your discovering how to enjoy your journey more which I LOVE to hear.
Thanks for your input. "play it like you own it" is right.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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@wonderputz - I may I know what you mean. I'm the beginningest of beginners, but many years ago, as a girl in my late teens doing carpentry and remodeling work, I learned something.
If you swing a hammer to see if it will drive the nail or to try to drive the nail, the nail will hardly budge. No matter how hard you hit it. You have to swing the hammer to drive the nail.
I was thinking of that distinction in my evening practice, just a couple of hours before finding your post. When I put my finger down and bow to see if I will get a specific note or to try to get that note, well, good luck. And it sounds SO tentative, even if the pitch happens to be correct this time. When I somehow manage to put my finger down intending and expecting the right note, well, it isn't always perfect, but it is really close a surprisingly large amount of the time! Bowing as if, "here, let me show you the correct note" helps a lot, too.
At my present stage--while most of what I'm doing still goes astray really often--it can be tricky to bring a clean intention and especially a clear expectation. But it does wonders, when it can be managed.
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