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"Becoming an author doesn't happen by chance. It's takes hustle, determination, and plenty of sleepless nights slaving away at your computer. But if you're willing to do the (really hard!) work, your dream of publishing a book can come true. How exactly? We've enlisted three YA superstars to fill us in.\n\nAuthor Maggie Stiefvater spent more than 40 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list with her hit werewolf trilogy Shiver. As if that's not enough, Maggie also wrote the series The Raven Boys and The Scorpio Races, and is gearing up for the July release of Sinner. Then there's Brittany Geragotelis, who carved out her own path by putting her novel Life's a Witch on the website Wattpad, where it received more than 19 million reads. The publishing world couldn't help but take notice, and Brittany subsequently inked a deal for a three-book series\u2014there's even talk of turning her debut into a TV show. Last, but certainly not least, is web editor Melissa Walker, who after working for glossies, translated her knowledge of the fashion industry into a teen tome of her own, Violet on the Runway. Besides massive sales, Melissa has received critical acclaim and has since written a slew of novels, including her most recent, Ashes to Ashes.\n\nAspiring authors, get your laptops ready! These experts were generous enough to divulge all their need-to-know secrets.\n\nStep one: Write a book. (Duh.)\n\nSure, that sounds like a given. But instead of worrying about getting published, focus first on writing your novel. \"You don't need to fuss with the idea of publication until you've written an actual, complete manuscript,\" says Maggie. If young adult's your thing, yours should clock in at between 50,000 and 85,000 words.\n\nIt may seem overwhelming to dream up a plot that will last all those pages, but there's no need to fret. The best thing to do is just write, write, write\u2014and put yourself in the reader's shoes. \"When I started with Life's a Witch, I thought, 'What would I want to read?''' Brittany explains. \"I write because I hope people will enjoy my work, but they're also stories that I want to read myself.\" And speaking of reading, according to Melissa, the more you consume, the better your own writing will be. \"Read as much as you can!\" she emphasizes.\n\nStep two: Edit, and then edit some more.\n\nAfter you've written your book, it's time to make revisions. \"I know many talented authors,\" Maggie says, \"and not a single one creates a publishable manuscript on the first go-around. Make sure that the book is as polished as you can get it and that it's actually telling the story you meant to tell.\" This also means getting others in on the action. \"Show people, get feedback, and be open to constructive criticism,\" Melissa adds.\n\nAnother good thing to do in this phase is to network yourself with other writers who are in the same boat; this helps you build a community and gain a following of supporters. Like many authors, Maggie, Brittany, and Melissa keep a strong presence on social media. Says Brittany, \"No matter what you do, everybody has to hustle their stuff. The key is being visible.\"\n\nStep three: Agents, queries\u2014and rejections.\n\nOnce you've polished your manuscript, the next step is to find a literary agent. \"This is who will represent you to publishers and will become your lifelong industry sidekick,\" Maggie says. You'll want a good one, so research the agents of your literary heroes and go from there. To get in touch with an agent, you need to send them a query letter. As Maggie explains, a query is a short description of your novel, similar to what you see on the back of a book: \"It's a tantalizing one-page pitch\u2014this is all you'll be sending to agents for them to judge your work. Sound unfair? Not really. How many times have you decided whether or not to buy a book based just on the description on the cover flap?\"\n\nBut once you start contacting agents, there will be lots of rejections. We mean lots. Every author goes through this, and even though it's hard (nobody likes rejection!), Brittany advises that you do your best to stay positive. \"Writing is subjective,\" she says. \"Don't let one opinion weigh on you!\" And writers beware\u2014when it comes to agents, if something seems fishy, it usually is. \"Never sign with or trust an agent who requests money to read your work,\" Melissa warns. \"You shouldn't have to pay anyone. They are paying you for your story.\"\n\nBut what if you can't get an agent? The good news is, thanks to technology, we're in a new era of publishing. If you've queried agents for quite some time and still haven't had one bite, consider the alternative: self-publishing your book on Amazon, Barnes &amp;amp; Noble, or Kobo. In Brittany's case, self-publishing is what eventually lead to her big book deal. \"A lot of teens are being discovered on Wattpad!\" she says of her platform of choice. \"There's no bullying, and people are very encouraging towards each other. Even big authors are deciding to self-publish these days.\"\n\nAnd some final words of wisdom:\n\n\"Remember that many published authors wrote multiple books before the one that got published came about. It takes dedication and practice\u2014keep writing and finishing drafts, and you'll get there.\" \u2014Melissa\n\n\"Let go of your ego, and keep in mind that you're doing this because you love writing. Don't let anybody dictate your dreams.\" \u2014Brittany \n\n\"Writing a novel is like learning to play the piano or drive race cars: Anyone can learn how to do it with enough practice. And if you try to go too fast before you're good, you should probably wear safety equipment. Especially if you're playing Bach.\" \u2014Maggie"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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