On the crafting front, unlock the research stuff as quickly as you can. It makes a big difference when you're doing 2 and then 3 at a time - though I find I haven't had to unlock Woodworking because I've never gotten more than 2 at a time. Dunno why.
Also, level your unlocks along with your character level. For example, when you're 26-35, stay on the Orich, Cotton/Leather and Beech levels. There's a lot of places you can steal and deconstruct, which gives you materials for the crafting writs. If you go to unlock Hickory, for example, before your player is level 36 - it'll be a lot harder to find Hickory and that's what you'll be expected to make for the crafting writs... which in turn makes it harder to level those skills.