I always have trouble with installing or adjusting brakse. Today I was tuning up a hybrid with V-brakes. The rim kept hitting the pads, so I was truing the wheel and adjusting the screws and cable. I had a hard time keeping the pads to stay off the rim. When I did, the levers don't snap back and they feel kind of soft. I think part of me kept making things worst by trying to true the wheel on the bike (no truing stand)

What the heck am I doing wrong?