Yeah it seems like any time someone asks a question about flash or lighting in general in a forum thread out come the links to the strobist site.
I am also unqualified to advise really but the biggest improvement to my flash photography has been using i-ttl with exposure comp (body) and flash exp comp to adjust the foreground vs background/ambient light mainly in fill flash scenarios. You can get some really dramatic lighting looks if the ambient light is not too harsh (ie. indoors or outdoors at sunset or on overcast day). I guess what I mean is that I like simple speedlight flash the most in situations where you almost don't really need it, usually diffused, and preferably off camera if you can pull it off. Otherwise it just looks harsh.
I am currently reading Joe McNally's The Hot Shoe Diaries and it's sorta helpful to me since it only discusses speedlights (not studio lighting) and is based on Nikon equipment.