Buy "seasoned" wood that has already been allowed to dry out.
Lessen heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox, slightly opening the nearest window, closing doors leading to the room where your fireplace is, and lowering the thermostat to between 50° - 55°F when the fire is on.
Add glass doors to the face of the fireplace and leave them closed after the fire has died down to keep heat in.