A Number Snake Through Prose
When restructuring a draft I often pepper numbers, out of order, throughout the piece. It might seem random at first, but if you read through it chronologically, it points to a potential new structure of the essay. Each number represents a distinct idea that could be its own paragraph.
The numbers flow in order (1A>1E, 2, etc.); when you see letters mixed in, it means that multiple scattered parts could actually be unified into the same paragraph. And if two areas have the same mark (4B), it means they cover the same idea, and can be compressed or consolidated.
This system allows us to talk with more precision around structure and sequence (especially within a linear document editor). It's an alternate path through the same material.