I agree with all above, but one thing, I've pinned my quilts on, used Red Snappers and recently got the zippers. Because of arthritis my hands don't like the Red Snappers. Because I want a WARDROBE I no longer use pins (man, those pins can ruin a good top!!!). I baste the zippers on to the quilt top and backing. Takes just a minute on my sewing machine.
I bought the book: "Ultimate Guide to Longarm Machine Quilting by Linda Taylor. This book explained a LOT to me when I was just starting out.
One other thing that you need is PATIENCE!!! Practice, Practice, Practice is for sure, but patience REALLY will help you.