I am certain we'd be happy to help with any of that! Do you have Skype? You're welcome to add me on there as well (mippachan) since I'm not in-game until I get home from work.
As for the linkshells, it really depends on the LS and the FCs. For example, Driftwood Coast has two linkshells and a Free Company. The main LS chat is for OOC, the Tavern LS is for "in person" RP and is IC only, and the FC chat more or less functions as an IC linkshell for all its members.
With PhoenixRising, my mage linkshell, it's more or less an IC linkshell. If we *do* have to go OOC with a question, we either take it to a /tell or ask in parenthesis ((usually double like this)).