@Joria Sorry you are having some trouble. Hey, it's my third time and some things are still not perfect, lol. I know you completed the challenge with TS3 so use some of your knowledge from that, it's totally different but my play style with dynasties has not changed.
Plan the shared rewards and aspirations beforehand otherwise you may run into all sorts of problems that you'll regret later. Things like Connections, Moodlet Solvers. I personally prefer to have Potion Of Youth for spares until my Ambrosia making hier is able to purchase them.
Play the game at the slowest speed and micromanage, like what others have said, it can get boring but you'll be able to keep track of everything and also get those screenshots in. I like taking five-ten screenshots of the same thing and from all kinds of angles. There are times when it takes me a couple of hours to play just one Sim day, and if you want some particular shots you can go to an earlier save to do that non-officially which I have for story purposes.
I give my painter spare the Fabulously Wealthy aspiration because that easily accomplishable at higher levels and with the right reward traits - Marketable, Creative Visionary etc. Pollinators are given Serial Romantic and later Soulmate, all heirs are given Soulmate too. If you move in a rich family or once you have the funds always, always have Mansion Baron shared too.
I find the flirty whims are the easiest to complete. Lock them in asap, use the mood lights and paintings - my bedrooms have a couple of them and you can farm points easily with two Sims at the same time. There's no rule to say you can't remove the bedroom door so others don't butt into the conversation and your farmers can't leave. Make sure their needs are fulfilled though, the best time to do this is if everyone else is sleeping, at work or skilling.
As for parties, yeah I still struggle even with potions and needs fulfilled, lol. Dates and weddings are my favourites to do simply because they are very easy to complete. For birthdays I just have my household Sims invited that way everything can get done at a stress free pace.
If you want to make fishing easier for yourself then I suggest you move to Willow Creek, you've got several spots right next to you without changing screens and you can manage everyone.
I have not been to Granite Falls until my gen two reached teenhood and she and her helper spent two days fishing and getting part of her aspiration done. My founder and the first gen spares had completed everything so there was no need to worry about them.
Remember there are plenty of SP, EP and GP coming our way in future so play at your own pace. I started my new dynasty at the end of April and a month later I'm still only on my gen two, and my founder has eaten Ambrosia so I really have only two Sims to play right now - the spares get most of my attention when gen two is at school so that's plenty of time to get whims and money pouring in.
Hope that made sense and helps you in any way.
