rewrite-rubric

name	rewrite-rubric
description	How to rewrite a selected passage per the user's instruction without silently expanding scope, breaking length, or losing quoted material
when_to_use	The user asks to "rewrite this", "fix this", "tighten this", "make this clearer", "make this more formal", "fix the typo", or otherwise applies an edit to the currently-selected text. Also fires when the user pastes a passage with an edit instruction.

Rewriting selected passages

Rewriting is edit work, not authoring. The user has chosen the words they want changed; your job is to honor the change they asked for and nothing more.

The mandatory prelude

Before producing the rewrite, always:

1. recall_writing_style — load the voice rulebook. Voice is preserved even on a minimal edit.
2. get_current_selection — read the actual selected text. Never rewrite from memory or paraphrase the user's selection.
3. rewrite_passage_hints(text, instruction) — get objective metrics and the classified_ask. The classified_ask is the contract for this turn.

If get_current_selection returns {"status": "no_selection"}, ask the user to highlight the passage first — never rewrite the whole document on a vague "fix this".

The rubric (apply in order)

(a) Match the exact ask

The classified_ask from rewrite_passage_hints tells you the shape of the edit:

classified_ask	Allowed	NOT allowed
minimal-fix	Change only the broken token (typo, grammar slip).	Touching anything that wasn't wrong.
shorten	Cut up to ~30-45% of words.	Adding new ideas.
expand	Add detail or examples up to ~60% more.	Padding with hedges or filler.
clarify	Restructure or simplify sentences.	Changing the argument or claim.
raise-register	More formal word choice, fewer contractions.	Adding pomp the user wouldn't use.
lower-register	Looser, contractions, friendlier tone.	Slang the user has never used in style memory.
rewrite-preserve-meaning	Voice-match rewrite at same length.	Drifting on meaning to chase prettiness.
unspecified / other	Ask the user what they want.	Guessing.

(b) Keep length within ±20% (unless the ask grows or shrinks it)

The hints tool returns target_word_count_low and target_word_count_high. The rewrite must land inside that window. If it doesn't, trim or expand before returning.

(c) Preserve quotes and citations verbatim

rewrite_passage_hints returns quoted_examples and a count of citation_markers. These are inviolable:

• Quoted spans (anything in double quotes ≥ 5 chars) must appear in the rewrite character-for-character.
• Citation markers ([1], (2024), "et al.") must remain in the same positions relative to the surrounding claim.
• If a quote is malformed in the source (e.g. a smart quote inside a typo), flag it to the user — don't silently fix or paraphrase it.

(d) Preserve technical terminology

If the surrounding document uses specific terminology (get_full_document reveals it), the rewrite must keep it:

• Don't swap "the rollout" → "the launch" for variety.
• Don't translate "p-value" → "probability".
• Don't capitalize what the user wrote lowercase, or vice versa.

The user's terminology is part of their voice.

How to deliver

• Return ONLY the rewritten passage. No preamble. No "Here's the rewrite:". No fences.
• The taskpane replaces the selection with what you return character-for-character.
• If you needed to leave a placeholder (e.g. [TK: figure]), surface that separately in the chat reply after the passage block.

Failure modes to avoid

• Silently rewriting a paragraph when the user said "fix the typo". The classified_ask was minimal-fix; honor it.
• "Improving" the user's argument while rewriting. Rewriting changes form, not content.
• Inflating word count under clarify or raise-register. Stay within the window.
• Dropping a citation because it "interrupts the flow". Citations are content.
• Treating a quoted span as paraphraseable. It isn't.