Re: Can someone learn to be detail-oriented?

["Higgins, Lisa" <LHiggins -at- CARRIERACCESS -dot- COM>]

Well, Jill, and a hearty "You're welcome" from those of us who spent time
and effort replying to your post asking for help!

> I said this environment is detail-oriented, I heard a chorus of "I'm not
and > I do just fine." That's not the point. You're also not in this
environment:
> contract at government agency, the specific task involves writing and
> editing standards FOR standards. My attitude towards pickiness is
> irrelevant; the client has zero tolerance for errors.

Interesting assumption. Have been. Did fine, despite my 'deficiency.'

It is very simple. Someone who is not detail-oriented needs to do the
following:

1. Make lists of things to check for.
2. Check for those things, in whatever order you are comfortable.

A simple matrix will do just fine. Write the chapter numbers at the top of
the page, then write identified problem areas along the side. Go through the
matrix, check off the items.

It takes a little discipline. "Detail-orientation" is not genetic. It's not
a race or a religion. It's a mode.

The challenge isn't so much in the difficulty of the exercise as it is in
the discipline required to do it. The problem areas and specific style
issues may take a while to identify. The discipline issue is there or it
isn't. I wouldn't give it more than a couple of weeks or so. The error rate
on identified points shouldn't be significantly higher than it is for any
new writer.

Lisa.

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