Consuelo Schiedeman asked Roshani Chokshi:

What do you recommend for new authors trying to get published? The whole process seems terrifying and hard to know where to begin.

Roshani Chokshi It is definitely terrifying...but never fear! Everyone has been in your position :) First things first, anyone who tells you "this is how this works" is wrong. Success takes a thousand forms. My own path to publication was fairly straightforward, and you can find that whole spiel in pretty much any interview I've given. But my #1 recommendation for aspiring authors is this: EYES ON YOUR OWN PAPER. You are your only metric of success. Keep honing your craft. Read voraciously, listen attentively. Try to keep a pulse on the industry through sites like Writers Digest, Publisher's Weekly or Publisher's Marketplace. When you're ready to query, read and reread the work you're submitting. Get critique partners and beta-readers. Make use of sites like Agent Query, Absolute Write and Reddit subthreads like /yawriters or /ya. Most importantly, remember that the only thing you can control is your work product. Self-comparison and envy will get you no closer to your dreams. You've got this!

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