Becoming a published author starts with a fairly unglamorous but essential foundation, writing consistently enough to actually finish a full manuscript, since this alone is a rare achievement that most aspiring writers who talk about writing a novel never actually reach, and finishing is very often the real dividing line between someone who wants to write and someone who does.
Read widely and deliberately within the genre you want to write in, since understanding how published books in your space are actually structured and paced teaches you far more than writing advice alone can. Build your writing muscle through smaller pieces first, short stories, blog posts, writing competitions, rather than attempting a full novel as your very first serious writing project, since these shorter forms let you develop craft and finish things faster while you are still learning. Once you have a completed manuscript, understand the two broad paths to publication: the traditional route, which involves finding a literary agent through a strong, well-crafted query letter before a publisher gets involved, and self-publishing, which gives you full creative control but requires you to also handle or hire out editing, cover design and marketing yourself.
Join a genuine writing community or workshop for honest feedback on your work, since feedback from real readers, not just friends and family, is essential to actually improving. Understand clearly that publishing is a business as much as it is a craft, the query and submission process for traditional publishing involves real skill of its own, and rejection is a completely normal, expected part of nearly every successful authors path, not a signal to stop, so persistence through that process matters enormously.
Example: A student who finished several short stories and entered a couple of writing competitions before attempting a full novel built both the craft and the discipline needed to actually complete their first manuscript, rather than abandoning it partway through as many first-time novelists do.
One practical tip: Finish something, even a short story, before attempting a full novel, since the skill of actually completing a piece of writing, not just starting one, is what separates people who publish eventually from people who only ever talk about writing a book.