How to Write a Love Letter
Knowing how to write a love letter is an art of letter writing that is dying out. With email and text messaging taking the place of writing personal notes, writing a proper love letter is a unique expression of love that is going to stand out in your lover's memory.
Writing a love letter is not as simple as sitting down and scratching out a quick "Thank You" card. If you're like most people, trying to put your feelings on paper is like pulling your own teeth. Writing the perfect love letter has eluded some of the greatest poets of all time.
Maybe it feels like nothing you write expresses exactly how you feel, or you may be frustrated with how to structure the letter itself. Don't let a few frustrations get in the way of your love letter. To write the perfect letter to your lover, you only need to follow these simple guidelines.
Tips for Writing Romantic Love Letters
The following are tips for writing romantic love letters and for becoming receptive to inspirations of love.
Set the Mood
Sitting down to express your feelings to your lover can be a lot of pressure. Most professional writers tell you that setting the mood is important to their work.
Journalists may need perfect quiet, while poets may need the right piece of music. I've heard song composers and screenplay writers talk about going out to an isolated cabin in the woods for a week when they start a new project. Whatever the artist, you'll find that they have ideal settings for writing.
It probably helps to brainstorm by getting out of your natural surrounding, or at least getting away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday. Turn off your tv. Turn off the radio or listen to music with no lyrics. You don't want someone else's words entering your brain. Get somewhere that you don't hear those things through the walls.
So when you're about to write your love letter, gather your supplies and prepare a quiet and secluded spot where you can let your thoughts flow freely. Put on music, something like a gentle piece of classical music, chill music or trance music - something that sets a mood, puts a wall of sound between yourself and the outside world.
Next, get yourself in the mood. That can mean dimming the lights, lighting a candle, opening a window: whatever makes you feel still and ready to express. Putting yourself in a romantic mood makes the act of writing a love letter easier.
When brainstorming, think of the reasons you love your boyfriend or girlfriend so much. Jot down all of their traits that you admire or that bring joy to your life. Make a list of all their mannerisms that set them apart. These will be the notes you can refer to later, when you begin to write your love letter.
Presentation Is Important
When writing your love letter, pay attention to the materials you use. You don't have to go with bright pink or otherwise garish stationary. In fact, a neutral color, like cream or white, is a perfect choice for love letter stock. Since the subject is love, choose a sober ink color, so the recipient knows you're serious. Brown or black ink is best.
Remember, this love letter is being sent to the one you love. Any little touch you add to the stationary is a bonus. Make the envelope beautiful, choose a special pen or even pick a specific stamp for the front. Your imagination is the only limitation.
Start Your Letter
You want to use an appropriate greeting when starting a love letter. "Dear Emily" just won't cut it for our purpose.
Depending on the tone of your article, you want to start out laying it on thick. Start with something romantic, like "My dearest love," or "To my lover". If your tone is more refined, begin with "Love," or "Dearest". Fill in your own language here, but be sure to be gentle and sweet.
After your greeting, immediately tell your lover a specific reason why you're writing. This is a love letter, and of course the purpose is to express love, but the more specific a reason you can come up with for writing, the better. This makes your letter seem like it's unforced, but inspired.
This is where the poetry starts. You could say "I was lying in bed thinking about you and how much I love you. I found I couldn't sleep. I had to wake up and write to you, to tell you exactly how I feel about you." Something along these lines gives the letter aim and purpose.
Don't be scared to "go too far" - if you are nervous in your tone, your lover won't be as sure of your feelings, and your attempt at expressing love may be confused with something else entirely. Love is about letting go, so let your love flow and empty your heart.
Falling in Love
After the introduction, launch into the main body of the letter. This is where you want to talk to your lover about your feelings.
A good jumping off point is describing to your lover what it was like to fall in love. Specific details of your time together, your first dates, the first time you met or the first time you kissed: these are all good details to include. They make your letter seem immediate and specific, instead of stolen from a movie, a song or a Hallmark card somewhere.
Some other ideas for additions to the body of your letter:
- Explain how your lover has made your life better.
- A list of unique traits that your lover has and how they make you feel.
- A specific dream you had about your lover.
- A moment the two of you shared together that you could never forget.
- A list of things you have in common that you love.
- A description of your life without your lover.
- Ten things you love about him/her or ten things you wouldn't change about them.
At this stage of your love letter, you should just let your heart out through your pen. Really dig deep and make specific references to moments in your relationship. Personalize these moments, because your lover is going to remember them, too. These are your precious moments together, something the two of your, and no one else, share.
End Your Letter
You need to end your letter with a few carefully chosen words. The gist of your ending should be "There it is, I've told you how I feel. I can rest easy now since I've told you how I feel," or something along these lines. Tie in the ending to the beginning of your letter, to make your letter seem complete and well wrought.
Remember to keep the end of your love letter upbeat and enthusiastic, even if the opening of your letter was a bit of a downer.
Include Surprises
I like to include a couple of little things with love letters. to make them even more special. I've put in dried flower petals, a lock of my hair, a little photo or some other trinket. This makes the opening of the letter even more personal and magical for the recipient.
Your girlfriend or boyfriend should be under no doubt that you put thought into this. You'll score big points for this one.
Sending the Letter
Remember to fold the letter gently, so as not to tear the paper or make ugly creases.
The correct way to fold letters is to fold a sheet directly in half with the text on the inside, not with text facing out. Then place the letter in the envelope with the crease at the bottom and the salutation facing the back of the envelope.
Always hand address the envelope, and remember to keep good penmanship. An ugly letter on the outside may seem ugly on the inside. This little step may not necessarily make or break your letter, but you do get points deducted if it's hard to read or unpleasant to look at. You want your lover to open this letter often and revel in it words.
Here's one final tip: once you've written and sent off your letter, be prepared for a strong emotional reaction from the person you send it to. A love letter is a rarity these days: a keepsake and a token of your love. Your love letter is sure to set off some fireworks, so prepare a nice date for the night your lover gets your letter. Have the big date in your back pocket, to add emphasis to your love letter.