Lets have a nice thread about tips and hints to get you going in the game:
- Explore all the maps. You'll find plenty of ?s on the map you are on - visit them. They give you treasure, contains Stones of Power (which give you an ability point the first time you use each of them), receipts for witcher gear, quests and more.
- Mounted combat is far preferable if you're in an open enough place - ride them down with a slash of your sword then gain distance to reduce the horses fear level and repeat. Practice practice practice
- Stock up on food! It sucks being empty in the middle of a semi-long dungeon (been there, done that, reloaded earlier save).
- It might be wise to save some of the more expensive ingredients (like emerald dust). But no real reason to carrying around 25 bear pelts - sell it