Loving that we can help each other here. Am thinking of a longer scify 'book' story, but I like the splitting up into parts to try and get an audience with each post.
I have been through the 'Nazi' stuff (where its needed)with training to be a transcriber. While I value the conformity to an extent, unless its life or death or removes from the tale to a large degree, I value imagination and story above all. Your work is not anywhere near a path someone could not follow- please do not beat yourself up and find you languish in a quicksand of punctuation! I would rather read the next chapter! (and I am sure those that follow would agree!) I do not want to miss out on your story because someone says its not 'professional' enough. I don't care. I'm intrigued enough to want more!
If I was to want to publish, of course I would hire an editor to resolve issues like comma splices etc. But while I rough draft a 'penny dreadful' I don't see the benefit (although I know some would disagree). Until then , I will just write how I like without the added stress (like I know there are too many exclamation marks in this post!).
I'm not surprised you saw the fork in the road, I tried to leave double meanings to fool you but I guess it didn't work. Glad though, to be of inspiration- as your work is to me. Bouncing ideas off one another I find to be lots of fun! If you need an assasin, feel free to use this guy and add to his backstory and I'll do the same if you want to flesh out a character together in individual stories- that could get kinda stupid, LOVE that idea!
I think personally, It will be good for my writing. I've never been a huge fan of rules, but there are some simple things that I can correct which will allow me to more effectively tell the story. I don't think I will be putting everything I do through a review, going forward but i'm totally oblivious to much of the technical side of writing. I have my next few pages being reviewed right now, and it is helping me tighten up the more sloppy aspects of my work.
I think that I want to try a few short stories as well. Just as a pallet cleanser and to try different aspects of story telling. Short stories are fun for me because the characters are expendable I can do what I please with them, and those who are not, may end up staring in their own longer story.
Yeah I would love to do something like that with you. Once I put up a short story, if their are characters that I have not completely decimated, and you would like to feature them in a followup or back story, I'd get all giddy about that. After your permission of course, if I use one of yours, I'll just be sure I won't get them killed. :^P