Ninja Coding sounds like how I got into coding proper. You get told to fix/change something and you do it by reading the existing code then adding a few lines here or there.

Like you say, not potentially the best code but it works. If you do it for enough different other people, I suspect you will learn others "styles" and hopefully over time learn the best from each style and eventually you'll develop a personal style that is pretty good.

I am a noob really, but hacking/Ninja coding others code has taught me a heck of a lot. But I too was not sure if I could actually code anything on my own or at least in my own style.
So... I started a sourceforge project and I am slowly writing my own code and getting better as I go along.

Ninja Coding is great for learning, but starting fresh with your own style takes it from learning to mastery. (well I hope it will anyway!)

Lance