Welcome to this wonderful world of art! I'm no professional, but here's my two (or four) cents:
Firstly, loosen up! When drawing basic outlines or rough sketches, you can try holding the pencil in one of
these non-traditional positions. It will force you to draw with your arm and shoulder, rather than just your wrist; as a result, your strokes will become longer, and less "furry". When trying out these (admittedly weird) pencil positions, don't be cautious - just slash that line on the page! There's always an eraser. I typically block in general shapes and proportions in a non-traditional position, then switch to the traditional pencil position to draw the final outline, add detail, etc.
Secondly, learning about human proportion and the sizes of body parts relative to each other is very helpful. Straight up searching "human proportions" on the internet yields a lot of resources. It might also be interesting to learn about the (ancient) Greek canon for human proportion.
Thirdly, learning about shadows and light is a must. I'm really bad at explaining this concept, but Youtube is a wondrous place. I urge you to go explore.
You can go with any art style you desire, but I personally really like cross-hatching. Though it may look more rough than blending/smudging, I think it's all part of the appeal. Plus, it's quicker.
Here's an example I drew the other day.
Also, would you mind sharing with us your sketches? Don't worry if you think they are "bad" - we are here to help, not criticize. Seeing your sketches may help me (and others) give more personalized advice.
Good luck on your endeavors!