Practice! I have to agree with Alistair about the skew being the tool for the job. When I was starting out, the only tool I could reliably sharpen was the skew (using sandpaper on a sheet of glass), so I ended up using it a lot.
To avoid catches, keep the long point (toe) up, and cut with the bottom third of the edge. Try to keep the points away from the wood - if the point hits, that is where you are likely to dig in and have a lovely spiral groove cut in your nicely prepared blank! :wink:
Like any turning tool, make sure the chisel is on the tool rest, rub the bevel, then gradually lift the handle. Practice on some cheap wood before you try your pens - you will get the hang of it. I made a lot of 2"x2" pine round - just keep planing it down with the chisel, keeping things even til you get the feeling of it. Then you can start trying beads (which I am still not that good at to be honest!) 
