Thanks for that advice, it was perfectly timed.
I started looking for communities to join, uncertain of where even to begin and what the overall benefits might be. This week I made several positive community discoveries and then your reply confirmed this is the correct path.
As a new person I think the steem platform could do more to display groups and communities. I had to find, discover and join discord to do so. I know that sounds ridiculously simple, but no-one I know is on steem. Look around, the only community info you find is on random posts. It's by pure luck that eventually you find a post that spells out the benefits and clearly tells you how to join.
My posts are good writing practice, so I keep doing them. But yes community building is definitely the focus. Thanks!