“If I may offer a suggestion,” said the skeleton after watching me hack at the now 373 page manuscript for the last few hours.  

Sure thing.  

“I think it’s a good idea what you’re doing, separating it into categories– everything you wrote about me and animals, all the Eli anecdotes, the Human Relations Unit stuff, Poverty, Racism, etc.– with an eye toward editing them and filling in missing details, but I think you should also make a road map.”  

You mean like the road map to peace the Palestinians and Israelis have?  

“Exactly, something that will allow you to quickly get where you want to go, a trip tik, shall we say.”

I was thinking the same thing myself, actually.  I made a note right here “pp. 157-169  E.C.”  

“Heh, what a coincidence!   Empty skulls think alike,” said the skeleton.  “Bravo, then, and strength to your damaged right index finger.”  

Oh, yes, and as important as our ongoing dialogue is to this whole story, less direct chit-chat between author and skeleton has been suggested (and the passive voice used).  

“Well shut my mouth!” said the skeleton, snapping his jaws with a loud clack.