Today I printed out my book, all 200+ pages.  Now I can go through it, edit, make notes, and find continuity problems, double check plot points.  I can do it anywhere instead of at my desk and my bedroom floor seems to be an ideal place.  This also lets me lay out the printed pages and (by using colored sticky notes and paper clips) visualize where the book’s strengths and weaknesses are.

     Why am I doing this?  I have reached the dreaded sagging middle.  The spot in the book where you know you must up the ante, raise the stakes, gracefully weave the threads, and make sure you aren’t boring your reader to death.

     I have the ending written.  I have a basic outline.  What I need is to work all my threads together into a tight weave and join that to the ending in a seamless bond.  That’s not as easy as one would think.  I may have to clip a few threads, tug them out, and possibly work a new thread or two into the story.

     This does sound like weaving fabric doesn’t it?