Make sure you keep the starter hydrated and feed it, but don’t go crazy
I’ve gone weeks without messing with the culture, but if it dries out completely, it’s probably through. Keep it in a covered container in the fridge, and if you leave it for a month and a green liquid forms on top, just mix it well, pour out half and feed it with 50/50 flour/water by weight and let it incubate at room temperature overnight. It will be fine. If it’s been a month since you’ve made bread you might need to feed it twice before making the dough to be sure you get a good fermentation.
The flour is key
I didn’t realize how true this was until we had a lapse in our Amish flour purveyor, and I needed to buy elsewhere. Instead of wholesome chemical-free Natural White from Wheat Montana, I got somer industrial bleached, bromated bread flour. Wow, what a difference. I don’t know what these processes do to flour, but they result in more elasticity and better crumb. Adding gluten flour to lesser flours can have the same effect (somewhere between 1-3 tablespoons)
Shape a tight loaf to get good rise
If you’re making round loaves, shape them by punching down and pulling the edges in to make a tight loaf. This helps the rise (true for all breads but especially important for hand-shaped loaves).
A pan of water in the oven makes a difference
I’ve done a side-by-side comparison and the steam really does make a better crust and perhaps better rise. I put a 10-inch cast iron high sided skillet in the bottom of the oven while it’s preheating, then dump in 1 cup of water when the bread goes in.
Spencer Family Cookbook 
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