The Rewrite Process

I'm in the final rewrite for Great Sky Woman, and what I see is tht I have many of the pieces, the overall flow is only intermittantly free and deep.  The trick now is to look at what is missing: deep character, increased sensory awareness, thematic elements woven smoothly, poetics of imagery and language...there is just so much to do.  So here's are three things to think about in the middle of rewriting:
1)  What is the end of your story?  Remember that the meaning of a piece can be found in its ending.  That being true, what does every other scene add to the impact of this ultimate moment?
2) What is your thesis?  What are you trying to say in this piece?  Remember that you don't start by trying to make a point.  Just tell the story honestly.  A theme will emerge in retrospect.  Once you have it, strengthen it.  Never state it directly, but play with it as motivation and counter-motivation for your characters and the actions within your universe.
3) Look at your characters.  Do  they form a balance in your mind?  Can you see them all as aspects of some cohesive whole, pieces of a puzzle or stars in a constellation?  If you can sense some kind of unity between the characters, it is easier to see where they fit in your world, and fine-tune their attitudes and dialogue.
4) Listen to your language.  The words themselves, and the successive sensory impressions.  What kind of emotional cascade do they create?  You want to guide the reader's mind with a poetic flow designed to evoke emotional response.  It is one of your most important tools.