I wonder if rolling papers would help…you know, the kind used in perms. Keeps it all together and adds a little texture to it.
First make sure that the hair you are trying to put into the roller is all from the same layer. Trying to get ends that are different lengths onto the same roller is a total PIA. I would say to spray the ends lightly with some gunky hairspray (think Aquanet) that will keep the ends together so you can get them around the roller. I know it feels impossible but trust me once you get the hang of it it can be done. Once you take the rollers out if the ends look yucky from the hairspray you can very lightly brush JUST THE ENDS until they look better. Another option, although I’ve never tried it is to take one of those hair wax sticks and wax the ends of your hair so they stick together.
Papers might work, I’ve never tried to use them. In my mind that would take a whole 'nother skill set and an extra hand.
Barrels
How do you know what parts of your hair are the same layer? (Seriously, guys, years of pixie here. My arms get tired after, like, three rollers. I’m remedial!)
Wait, that sounded dumb. I mean, of course you’re gonna say “They’re the ones the same length, dumbass.” I guess what I meant is, is there a trick to sectioning and picking bits to put in the rollers? How much should you do? And how the hell can you tell when your hands are all up behind your ears and stuff what layer you’ve got?!
Think of it as a way to work on your arms, while you work on your hair 
To figure out where your layers are I would start by sectioning your hair. Take a comb and draw lines around your head where you think your layers are. Then go back and pull the longer sections out of the shorter sections. ( I hope that makes sense!) Kind of like when your hairdresser marks out where your layers are when you get a hair cut.
Then clip your hair into layer groups. Start with the shortest layers and work down from there.
“Shit.” “What?” “Rollers.” “No.” “Yep.” “Shit.”
Sorry, had to… continue.
If you hold your hair straight up towards the ceiling the shorter hair will naturally sort itself out of longer layers. Then you put the shorter hair into the clip with the same length hair.
After awhile you’ll get to the point where you can look at your hair and grab the layer you want and you won’t have to mess with clipping it.