If you don't set up your ssh keys then you'll have problems getting ssh to work. Check out the instructions here help.github.com/en/github/authenti... for setting up GitHub for use with ssh. This will let you not have to enter your GH username/password multiple times.
As for forking or not, it all depends first on your workflow and how you want to work and if you have owner/maintainer privs on the source repo. If you aren't an owner/maintainer you definitely have to fork the repo.
If you don't set up your ssh keys then you'll have problems getting ssh to work. Check out the instructions here help.github.com/en/github/authenti... for setting up GitHub for use with ssh. This will let you not have to enter your GH username/password multiple times.
As for forking or not, it all depends first on your workflow and how you want to work and if you have owner/maintainer privs on the source repo. If you aren't an owner/maintainer you definitely have to fork the repo.
Thanks so much for filling in the blanks! I appreciate the help and the resources - thank you!!