Right-hand Position For Flatpicking?

[Googster]

I've always been a flatpicker. Never took lessons, watched instructional vids or anything like that--I just learned by ear over the course of 30+ years of playing. Mostly bluegrass/ Watson style. Over the past couple years, I took a long break from the guitar and really focused on the mandolin. When I came back to flatpicking guitar, a lot of nice new things were happening, especially left-hand speed, but I started questioning what I'd been doing with my right hand all these years.

I've always felt I needed some sort of stabilizer and have always flatpicked with the heel of my hand resting on the bridge for stability. Is this the way everybody does it, or do some of you brace in other ways? Do some right hands just float over the soundhole, or brace with a pinky on the top? I kind of wish I could do that, to give myself more options in tonal variety.

What's the conventional--or unconventional--wisdom on this?

[HHP]

I keep my right hand free, not touching anything. When playing tunes where I may need to palm mute, I will rest the heel of my hand lightly on the pins so I can control the mute.

[Allen Shadd]

Different people play differently. Most do at least use their pinky as a reference, mostly by brushing the top with it, but not planting it. And some float free. I do all three, depending on the passage I am playing but in general I brush the top.

[SupremeDalek]

When I flatpick a song/section of a song I will post my pinky. I suppose you could say it looks like a banjo player...not to say I am a banjo player or anything like a banjo player...I am way quieter!