I would like to state first off my thoughts on what I think would make this great mechanics wise. In other rpg programs you find all to ofter of getting rewards for using skills in the form of usable points. But that is really unrealistic. If you could make it so that if I use any skill it will automatically add the bonus to the apropriate skills. For instance If im out chopping wood three things would get bonuses: Strength, lumberjacking, and general exp. now maybe the general exp could be used for specialization points or something along those lines or just general level indicator??
Far too often I see in online rpg\'s the usage of points that you can put into anything and then you need to fight usually in order to raise other skills that are totally unrelated. If you follow the way I describe you will find people willing to make specialized characters like merchants, Miner blacksmiths.
Of course if you do descide to put this into effect you might want to concider letting people have multiple characters to an account.
