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Compare your situation for a moment to someone taking instrumental lessons. Whilst there is still technical development needed, the student is wise to take regular lessons to acquire and re-enforce new skills. At a certain point, the student will have come sufficiently close to mastering technique in order for the focus to be on interpretation and developing an individual voice. This is the point where the student mainly has to evaluate themself rather than simply internalising what they are shown by their teacher, and the amount of contact time can become less intense and regular. When applied to composition, this echoes the comments above about finding somebody to teach you basic technical skills, and then later on seeking advice only when an insurmountable problem arises or a second opinion is needed. If you acquire a good grounding in harmony and counterpoint and immerse yourself in a wide variety of others' music you will gain both a solid technical and an aesthetic grounding. To answer the question directly: you should seek tuition for technical elements and then apply your own aesthetic ideas to them once mastered. This way you need not fear about becoming 'academic' or 'losing your individual style' (fears which are almost never realised: greater knowledge and technique enable greater individual expression, not lesser). Also, play at least one instrument and piano - this will teach you a lot too. (If I may, I would also like to point out that the 'self-taught' composer is not somebody who simply sits down and learns everything with no external influence whatsoever. Elgar was very proud of never having taken formal composition lessons, but not so proud that he did not spend many hours studying books, listening and playing to acquire a solid technique, nor did he avoid seeking advice and criticism from his peers).

How to record vocals I hope it is of use.