Some Magic Rules for Getting Published

I'm an instructor with Gotham Writer's Workshop, and the last week of class I open up the dialogue for any and all questions about how to get published. A few things I always tell them:

 There are no magic rules for getting published. Face it. Go sacrifice some small woodland animals to the publishing gods if you wish, but it isn't going to help. What will help?

1. Do your research. When I was trying to get published, I always got the newest edition of Children's Writers and Illustrators...