Kent88, if the recipe will help you get a better understanding so you can help me here it is,
2 1/2 cups of sugar (for every gallon of fresh apple cider or apple juice)
However may gallons of cider you want
Hopefully that helps
Ok, that's fairly typical, but more sugar than I would use. The reason is that while the sugar boosts the alcohol level, it also tends to reduce the flavor and aroma of apples.
Yeast strain can be really important. I like using S04 for most of my ciders, as it's an ale yeast that doesn't ferment it quite bone dry. I love my ciders dry and carbonated, so I will wait until it's totally clear (and yes, in secondary) before packaging.
I use a mix of dolgo, rescue and centennial crabapples in with traditional apple mixes because I like the little bit of tannic bite it gives. Without those crabs, I will often add a pinch of tannin. Also, if the cider is sort of 'flabby', I may add some citric or tartaric acid. I don't like sweet things, so I don't do sweet cider very often.
A couple of things that are general and may help include making sure to prevent oxygen ingress wherever you can, rack quietly (no splashing) and since cider can get light struck, keep the carboys covered and the bottles in a cool dark place.