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I agree that breaking down the construction is the main thing. I'd add this: when you're working with a reference, it's helpful to squint first and look at the overall shadows and light areas to get a sense of volume. Then you work out the details. A lot of beginners get stuck on small elements right from the start and lose the overall form. Try doing a quick tonal sketch first - literally just a sketch of light and shadow - and then move on to the details.
Another important thing: don't put the reference next to your page and copy it line for line. Instead, look at the detail, set the reference aside, draw from memory, then check it. That trains your eye so much better. And definitely compare your drawing to the original from far away - at a distance, not with your nose to the page. Proportions that look right up close often turn out to be completely off in reality.
My advice: draw lots of sketches of the same object, but from different angles and with different lighting. Don't get hung up on one perfect drawing - it's better to develop a feel for volume and proportions through doing tons of practice. It'll take time, but the results will be so much better than if you just copy.
The main thing is not to depend on reference, but to use it as a check for your own vision. I noticed that when I deliberately cover half the image and try to predict what comes next, my hand starts working more confidently and understands the logic of forms way faster than just copying.
But when I sketch while fishing or watch bees, I figured out one thing - you gotta look not at the details, but first at the overall shape and proportions.
It's the same with references: squint your eyes, pick out the basic forms, then add shadows and details.
The main thing is don't get hung up on copying lines, but learn to see the structure of the object, then your hands will start working more correctly on their own.
Everyone's right about the general forms, but there's a catch: it's not just about looking at the reference, you need to actively compare it with what you're drawing. Keep both images in your field of view, check the proportions, the angles of the lines, the distances between points - this develops your eye way faster than just copying. And it's also useful to flip your drawing or the reference upside down from time to time so you turn off your logic and work with pure form, without making up details.
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