Word-level diagnostic revision — identifying single words or phrases that are 'wearing costume' (performing a role the text needs but performing it badly) and replacing them with words that actually work. Not general editing, not line-editing, not developmental editing, but the specific surgical practice of reading at the acoustic-ontological level where a single vowel sound can carry or collapse a line's metaphysical weight. Triggers on: 'this word isn't working,' 'something's off in this line,' 'microsurgery,' 'the word is wearing costume,' 'find the wrong word,' 'which word is the problem,' 'word-level revision,' 'surgical edit,' or any moment when a text is almost rig…
