Interesting thread. I'm left handed, but play the guitar right handed. I've always found fingerpicking quite difficult - (apart from very basic patterns). Fairly early on I started strumming with a pick and then moved on to basic flat-picking. When I watched other guitarists I noticed that they often planted their little fingers on the pickguard. Well I tried that several times, but could never do it, so I guess by default I ended up flat picking without contact with the pickguard. This helps me to use the right hand to deaden or muffle the strings for emphasis by bending the wrist on the downstroke. If I'm playing lead I tend to rest the side of my hand against the bridge for stability. In that position I can roll the hand slightly to control resonance and tone by slightly muffling the strings. I'm now working on pick and fingers picking which I find really hard.

David