These are the things I would want to know, going in:
- You don’t have to make every deadline the same day. I thought I had to, and I barely did any of the side activities until the very end of the game. The same time the next day works fine in most or all cases.
- Do the quest with the “Nameless Flower” in the rain and the sheriff’s house at night as early as you can, to get a very important ability (fast travel).
- As soon as one of the bones becomes available, collect all 7 before starting Forrest Kaysen’s quest (something about Willie the dog). This gets you a very helpful weapon (infinite magnum). Don’t turn the bones in at the graveyard until you have done this.