From personal experience, take your time.
For launches, work on clutch control. I learned from my brother (390 awhp STi) to slip the clutch. I am not very consistent, but when I do them right I tear up my friend's cobalt SS w/ full bolt ons (4 door).
As for shifting, try to do heel-toe downshifts, rev matches, and double clutching. First you want to learn to rev-match, which is basically you clutch it, down shift 1 gear and match the rpm to the right speed (for example, going from 3rd to 2nd doing 40 you would rev 2nd gear to about 3200 rpms and then let the clutch out)
Then work on double clutch, which is the same as rev-matching, but basically you clutch it, move the gear into neutral, then un clutch it. THEN push the clutch in, rev match it, and let the clutch out in the correct gear. THen you are off to a great start.
Heel to shifting is combining rev-matching, double clutching (preferably), and braking at the same time. You break with your toe, gas with your heel.
If you get all those down smoothly you are doing something. I have been practicing heel-toe shifting for about a month and a half and now im finally consitent.
Try not to do it with other people in your car! :P haha good luck bro | 
