Advice needed - how to gain traction as a truly new player?

[eqravenprince]

I wouldn't get too caught up in ZEM's. Adventure, try new zones. You'll find your leveling without it seeming like a grind.

Crushbone and Blackburrow are good choices. Dungeons I would also check out Najena, Befallen, Upper Guk, and Qeynos Catacombs. I believe newbie zones have an experience bonus, some have higher level mobs that would be good levels 5+, check out Feerrot Lizards and Misty Thicket past the wall and Butcherblock mountains.

Other dungeons I'm not sure what level they are, but worth checking out after a few more levels would be Runnyeye, Permafrost, Unrest and if you really want to go where no one has gone before Kerra Isle.

I don't want to tell you to avoid outdoor zones. Sometimes it's fun to try them out for the hell of it and adventure. Outdoor zones are usually less stressful in my experience.