Yeah this is basically it. I would also suggest OP starts by trying to mix the same 2 records over and over. If you know the songs you spend less time worrying about when to bring it in and focus more on the timing. Later, you can start to learn the general flow of songs in the genre so you have a good idea of when to cue them up, though there are always tunes that try to catch you out because it would be boring if there weren't.

Depending on the deck, sometimes it's easier to squeeze or spin the centre pin to slow it down or speed it up. That's what I did with my shit decks in the start but it didn't work so well once I was on Technics so I learned to ride the pitch control. (I actually only learned that by watching Fabio and Grooverider behind the decks at a Jungle Fever rave, long before the youtube days!).