I know you're all happy to help, but is there any literature I can read regarding this to give you all a break from my incessant questioning?
Too many cooks in the kitchen, I always call it, me being one more cook as well. Yes, it can be overwhelming with different advice being thrown around. In this case, it may be best to listen to an experienced professional, a reliable razor and honing merchant like Jarrod in starting out, provided they have the time to help and are not just out to sell you more stuff.
As for literature, "let us know when you find it" as the saying goes. Me, I've recently been consulting an old Pike sharpening guide from 1919, "How to Sharpen and What to Use." It's pretty amazing what is recommended there as a full progression, a mere fine India to a hard Arkansas or coticule used with oil, ending with plain leather stropping. I tried this recently with a beater razor, and the result wasn't all too bad on the first pass, although I did add 8 laps on a red-pasted leather strop to pick up things a little for the rest of the shave.