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What tricks does everyone else use to make nice straight highlight lines that don't look like a brush stroke or shaky lines?
I usually highlight like I am whittling. I move the brush across in a straight line over and over getting closer with each pass until it starts putting paint down. It doesn't work perfect so I am wondering what tips and tricks others have to make this easier.
Also, how many shades lighter is your highlight paint? I think I go 3:1 with ultramarine and white. (Yea, I'm painting SMurf-look-alikes).

It seriously helps if you highlight progressively, with more than one shade (sounds like you're just using one. I'd try using at least three highlight colors). Also, try to make every progressively lighter shade more watered down than the last one. If you don't have the patience for that, at least have each layer be sufficiently watered down, and paint multiple layers until the coloring is as solid as you want it to be. This will really help anything from being painfully obvious, and you won't really have to worry about lines being straight. Personally, I can't even draw a straight line to save my life (my hands can get pretty unstable), but this seriously helps. Even if you're just highlighting edges on your model, try it. It will take a while, but it's worth it.

Also: Lay off the late-night coffee-fueled painting! Coffee never helps.

I use the edge of a flat brush, typically a #2 or a #4, depending on the size of the model.

Hmm, how much do you water your paint down?
Though a flat brush sounds like something to try as well. Hmm.

Try using the side of the brush along hard edges of a model rather than the tip.