Talking about it helps keep it fresh in my mind, I've noticed. My friend listens to me tell him about my dreams, but doesn't really take much interest himself in actually dreaming.
That's awesome about the flying! You're further along than I am, haha. Flying for me is more like trying to stay afloat - think Mario in the winged cap in Super Mario 64.
I have actually been getting better in those moments where I come to realize that I'm dreaming, usually dummy me goes, "OH! I'm dreaming!" and suddenly I find myself being pulled back into the waking world.. however, while I was on vacation, I was in the middle of a dream that was frustrating the daylights out of me. It was noticeably monochrome, everything in greyscale. At one point, after being handed a beverage by someone who I was talking to, I looked down at my hands and looked up, said, "I'm dreaming.." set my bottle down, kept my focus and stayed asleep - went over and put my hand on the chest of that person (like right over his heart), and suddenly everything burst into vivid color.
..it was nothing shy of amazing.
Still woke up after a few minutes of lucidity, though.. boo.