Sometimes You Have to S#1t the Nest

An acorn from a burr oak.

About a decade ago, I realized that the Internet was ruining my writing.

I call it Death by 1,000 Caveats, and it’s real. Because you have the entire universe of people looking over your shoulder – ready to pounce on any small omission or perceived slight – your writing extrudes from your fingers like an automotive recall letter.

I’m not alone in my view. Jane Friedman recently wrote a piece that chilled the cockles of my whatever.

I have fought the Death by 1,000 Caveats in my writing with another writing technique I call: Shit the Nest. It’s where I force myself to write like no one is going to read it. I say what I want to say, in as few words as I can. And I don’t make excuses or apologies.

I know, I know. This sounds like trolling, but it’s not. Why? Because I also decline to respond to the commenters who ring their cowbells, press their buzzers and lather up like a Pert Plus TV commercial.

Here’s a recent example.

The post produced outrage, and I declined to…