@Eudaemonia
Yep, That's one of the best things about this game: there's so many different approaches that there's virtually no "wrong" way.
I've been playing over a year (end of Feb last year). I really take it easy. I'm obsessed a bit and spend a significant amount of my day in Elvenar but I'm in no rush (so much so that I hardly use portal profits). It is likely this relaxed speed makes the difference to get by easily because of the time allowed to regrow inventory. Don't get me wrong, though. I can get antsy (I just don't push through chapters). I use a lot of time boosters (both crafted and from spire) and sometimes few trips to the wholesaler (that's what rain/windfalls are for, lol, but still not a lot because it's still highway robbery even if you can afford it) because I can get impatient for my trades (which don't last long in trader either). Because I cater-only, I have no need for military-oriented AWs and reservation of the space they use. My Witch's Hut is evolved to 8 (before joining FS so didn't finish off with FA-artifacts) but I've kept it to current chapter since it is one of the better evolving buildings I have and provides plenty of orcs for my needs (I understand military use of orcs to require
a lot more).
As far as the Spire, I clear the second floor each week (I've been to the top, but I realized that unless I'm in a FS that has the FS points (the purple stuff) that goes to the top, then there aren't enough rewards to make it worth it (the first and only time I did it was to say I did, but once I was there, I looked down from that lonely room and realized my only bragging right was mismanagement of resources). I usually clear the second floor on Monday (intending to have met that goal before tourney starts on Tuesday), then I focus on tourney (rather than split focus). I typically contribute upper 2K to tourney and FS takes the tenth chest despite not 100% participation (handful of people contribute 3K+).
I actually spent six months on my city and was somewhere in dwarves by the time I joined the forum (and a FS a couple months later) and began talking to people. I also spired very little for the first several months because I struggled with getting the hang of it. By that time of receiving lots of advice, I was already set in my ways. I listen to advice but do what I want to do in the end (don't do or avoid something just because I was told so). I laugh at the "keep it square" repeat advice because I didn't and still doing just fine. I had a plan in mind from the first decision where I was laying down the first workshops and residences and I still don't regret it. It began as an L (from main hall, residences in one direction and workshops/factories in the other), building out to wrap into a U while also building outward from the middle--all the while maintaining categorical sectioning. The only area of concern (to me) is the settlement area but I have already done the math and determined that it is sufficient for the next one (which has significantly larger buildings) but new expansions will be focused on expanding that area. I do not regret not joining a FS for a long time, however, I cannot deny how the FS perks have contributed to my city growth in the last six months.
Organization for efficiency is a must, but not at the expense of visual aesthetics (exceptions really bug me, lol). My city has distinct zones (sometimes call them districts) and, with rare exception, buildings
always go in their designated sections (rearranging for size-dimension shifts requires adherence to this). All residential and non-goods-producing popC are together (adjacent, not mixed), separated from goods factories and goods-popC. Factories are not mixed with goods-popC, though adjacent. Evolving buildings together and specialized non-factory goods (mana, for example) are grouped together (same for all "24-hr/no early collect" buildings are grouped). The builders hut goes near the main hall (town-center), but with residential section because that's where the builders live. Magic Academy goes near the main hall because it is also a producer with a direct relationship with the main hall, but non-good related. Trader was typically situation in the vicinity of between main hall (storage) and producers, though it is now away from producers while still being near the main hall. AWs are more or less together, though mostly on the main hall side of the perimeter and ordered somewhat near their associations (EE next to PT which is adjacent to workshops, MH adjacent to factories, and CL-WT tucked in the corner). And, of course, there is the settlement district. Expiring buildings and pure culture items (of which I keep few) are also somewhat together and toward the main hall (in the gaps between town-center and settlement, expiring trading station being specifically adjacent to settlement, of course). My FA-shanty town is always concentrated also, typically in the settlement district if between settlements, or taking up a piece on the edge if I have an active settlement (at the moment, visitors would see I've started FA prep, which varies according to state of city business). All my roads must match, also (I still use dwarven roads as I really like them and footpaths are used for temporary setups such as FA). It is just my personality that I can't tolerate the "sprinkle method" (as I call it, fitting anything anywhere). It feels messy to me. I don't judge other cities for it; I just can't handle it for my own.
I love the combination of organization and creativity, and the graphics are beautiful. Very fun to develop.
[Sorry-but-not-sorry for going on and on beyond your question, but I am just
really proud of my city.]