Another thing I have done is downloaded a bunch of the low level RPGA adventures and stolen encounters whole from them as I need for my story. I did not have a good grasp of the encounter building system at first and my first adventure was a TPK. Try that if you like writing your own adventures or like your home brew world. Also don't be afraid to rub the serial numbers off of creatures and switch them around. one of my favorite villains was an elite controller that was a rat swarm with the wizard template from the DMG. A man made of rats really freaked my players out and kept them on their toes.
