Anger and texting. The drinking and driving of content creation.

A coworker or loved one ticked you off. And, in your anger, you tap out an intense, wordy diatribe on your computer or mobile device.

I don’t know what you wrote exactly.

I don’t have to.

Yet, I can edit what you wrote into its most succinct form without looking.

“Hulk smash!”

Is that about right?

Having a sense of outrage while being able to quickly, easily and effortlessly distribute your grievance via text like SMS or email usually doesn’t end well.

That’s the danger of tapping away mad. With a sense of offense driving the writing process, you usually don’t try to communicate for the sake of creating understanding or making the way for reconciliation. You usually want someone to hurt just as much as your feelings. Whether that comes in form of a verbal slam on the object of your anger that deserves a mic drop or saying something that embarrasses or shames, the desire is almost irresistible.

Feel like you want to text of piece of your mind?

If you’re about to spend most of the writing process doing a Thesaurus search for vocabulary words to serve as vulgar and blunt instruments, you probably need to take these steps, first.

1. Breathe.

The mind controls the body and the body controls the mind. Right now. your heart is likely elevated by your anger. And that elevation is creating excitement and sensations that are feeding and aggravating your mental state.

By taking deep, slow breaths, you start to slow your heart rate and other body responses. And as you focus on your breath and less on how much of an a-hole that other person is, the mind starts to calm.

2. Breathe some more.

It may take a little while for you to completely get free from anger. And if so…

3. Breathe a whole lot more while you sleep.

Sleep on it if you can. But sometimes you get so mad you can’t sleep. When I’ve been in that position I…

Write an email to vent but don’t send.

Sometimes what you really want to do is just vent. Putting your words to paper can help. I’ll admit, sometimes it’s helped me self reflect. Or I’ll come back to it a few hours or a day later and I’ll see words from a person who’s not me and who could have done a lot of damage if I’d let that message fly.

Writing while angry?

Just like drinking and driving. Pull over and rest a little while.

Anger is a passionate writer. But to avoid regret, see why you need reflection and perspective as a copy editor.

Angry? Why you can hit the keys on your phone or computer. Just don’t hit send.