Being only a level 6 Ranger, maybe I am being premature on this question.

But will I eventually get some skills that will be more effective than the two I start with? And when?

At this point everything I fight gets into melee range after the first shot anyway.

I'm probably not the best one to answer this, as I never got a ranger past level 20. However...

Your skills definitely get better, but it takes time. I was still adding skills into my hotbar in the late teens. But once you get up in levels, your skills start kicking some serious behind!

Monsters getting into melee range will always be an issue for the solo Ranger. Some of the more experience Rangers can give you lessons on tactics for avoiding high amounts of damage and the like.

im a lvl 47 ranger. i dont use ranger skills. however, you can add any skill you lie. you can even learn melee skills if you want (just cant use em without a melee weapon)

skills do get better, just not the ranged weapon ones. i suggest having gaseous blast early off. it does multiple hits around you, continual damage, and doesn't use that much mana. ring of fire does further range, but costs more mana. also, at a low level lightning bolt (i think that's it. i wlays get confused) is not too shabby either. also divine stomp is a good defensive skill to have.

Trigger Frenzy, as you increase in level, becomes very powerful. It increases your attack rate.

Up until level 20 or so, most enemies reached me before I downed them.

I am lvl 26 now, with Trigger Frennzy and a Fast or better speed xbow, and good damage too obviously, I can drop most guys before they can reach me. If a whole mob is heading for me, usually I have the small and medium members dead before they get in melee range, leaving a few bigger guys and maybe one or two of the ranged ones.

I try to take out other ranged mobs first, but since they are usually in the back of the mob, I can't get to them until other monsters are out of the way. So I clear the little swarming guys out first.

Righteous Stomp is good, but don't level it past 1. It is really just for clearing the area around you, levelling it up does no good except to cost mana.