As to learning FMQ (I don't know if we ever feel like we've really "learned" it), but the one tip that noticeably advanced my confidence in my FMQ skills was this tip:
On a 14" or so square quilting sandwich, with your regular or walking foot on and the feed dogs UP as normal, make a line of stitching (normal length) across the square every inch or so.
THEN: Put on your Free Motion (darning) foot, drop the feed dogs, and start doing your free motion STRAIGHT lines of stitching in between the lines done by the machine. You might even want to use a different color top thread, just for comparison.
As you do each row, try to coordinate your throttle speed with your hand control to duplicate the straight line of stitching done/controlled by the machine. You'll be surprised how much easier FMQ gets and how you develop a "feel" for it once you get the straight-line technique down so that your FMQ line looks a lot like the machine-produced lines do.
I still do this as a brush-up if it's been awhile since I've FMQ'd, just to get back in the groove. Works well for me. Hope it helps you too.