It’s easy really…
Write original articles that your visitors will find useful.
I write all day and night to create new content for my ten sites. After nine months of this one or two sites are emerging from the Sandbox and getting very good Google SERP results.
I link a little, but my time is spent 95% writing and 5% linking. I believe the importance G places on linking will diminish (and, IMO should be ZERO).
LadyHoldem ideas above are good too–but that takes leg work and I am fat and lazy 