I finally got FMQ figured out when I got a new sewing machine. I was struggling with my husqvarna and my new brother is a dream to do FMQ.
the key thing tho is to go slow and practice and practice and practice ... you've had lots of tips on here, and they are all great. Just remember you are learning a new technique and that your first attempts are going to be horrible. Practice on scraps and toss them (or keep one or two so you can compare).
I didn't keep any of my first one, I just tossed them. I knew I was getting better when my patterns actually looked like they were supposed to!
The other thing I did was buy some stencils and practiced my FMQ using those ... I also used contrasting threads (i.e. red on black) so I could see where my problem areas were.
Good luck!