Love Letter Samples and Examples
Showing a person love letter samples and examples is a tricky proposition, because if you're in love with another person, the most qualified person to write that love note is you. That's because you know what it is that makes you feel the love, you know the specific reasons and the specific moments you knew you were in love.
That being said, a good love letter needs to contain certain things, so I'll give you a love letter sample in the form that is most effective. Then I'll give some examples of love sayings and phrases that work. In the end, I encourage you to take the love letter form I offer and add your own special touch, to make it the perfect love letter for your boyfriend and girlfriend.
What Does a Love Letter Need?
The best love letters follow a certain form, so you get certain thoughts and ideas into the note you're writing. This is a pretty simple form, and I encourage you to trick up everything else about the letter, to make it a unique and personal experience for your lover. With that in mind, here are parts of a love letter you should leave in.
- Greeting
- Why You Are Writing the Love Letter
- What He or She Does that Makes Them So Special to You
- Mention You Love Them (Beginning and End)
- Regards and Ending
Example of a Greeting
A simple greeting works best. Let's assume I'm writing a love letter to a girlfriend, and let's assume her name is "Jane Doe". My greeting would be simple and to the point: "Dear Jane,".
You don't want to get too cute, or you take away from the sincerity of the moment. For instance, you don't want to say, "My Dear & Lovely Little Sunflower, Jane,". That would be too flowery and flattering. That's what we call purple prose, and it isn't good. It sounds like you're addressing the Wizard of Oz.
Example of Why You're Writing
Next, state in the first sentence of your love letter exactly why you're writing. This sets the tone early and makes your admission of love straightforward and powerful. Say something like, "I'm want to write to let you know how much I love you."
Lay it on the line in the first sentence. Don't be evasive or roundabout in how you profess your love, or else the whole letter sounds artificial.
For example, don't write something like, "In the course of human events, when a man and a woman, like Heloise and Abelard before them or (dare I say) Paris and Helen in their forbidden rapture, meet in holy or unholy communion, and their hearts twine like vines on a mistletoe tree, dancing in silent unison, this man and woman must break this silent seduction and confess their supernal love. When two souls sense one another across a sea of loneliness, flying across the waves to touch and kiss, a man (like myself) must say he loves you."
See what I mean?
A simple "I love you" works best.
Example of What Makes Him/Her Special
Next, list reasons why the person you're writing is so special to you. The more specific, the better. Don't say you love them because they love you, or because you enjoy time spent together. Cite specific reasons why you love her and the time you spend together.
This is going to be the heart of the letter, and the most personal part.
Make a list of things you love about this person. Do you love the way she flicks her hair and bares her neck when she looks up into your eyes? Do you like the way she crinkles her nose when she's trying to read the instructions on a remote control? Do you love the way she pats you on the tummy when leans over to hug you at a stoplight?
These are the things that personalize a love letter. There have to be things this man or woman does that's completely different from all the other guys or girls you've gone out with.
Make a List of Traits You Love
Make a list of these things. Then decide which ones you want to include in the letter, deciding based on how much they mean to you, how well you can describe them in a love letter and how good they'll look on the page.
Write a rough draft of this part and read it to yourself to get it right. The more mundane and everyday, the more touching it's going to seem. The less conscious they are of this mannerism or trait, the more your love note is going to touch them.
Complimenting a Woman
Women are used to getting compliments of their eyes and their smile, so while these perfectly legitimate reasons to fall in love with a woman, the less cliched, the better, as well. Make sure to describe things she does: her traits and mannerisms.
Being a great person is a good compliment, but make it specific: listening patiently to you hallowed mother ramble, working with the homeless, her empathy when she puts a bandaid on your little boy's knee. Beauty is always nice for a woman to hear about, but try to make it specific, too: the flawless complexion of her skin in the moonlight, the sparkle in her eyes as she winks at you, or the mischievous smile when she admits to something impish she did.
Pointing out perceived imperfections and praising them also works, but only if done in the right way. Joseph Campbell said we respect people's perfections, but we fall in love with their imperfections. I wouldn't pick out physical flaws if I focused on a personal flaw at all, but I might discuss the reddened look on her face when she gets angry at you for something stupid, or the way she can't seem to remember the lyrics of songs when she sings. These are things that make a person we love unique.
The point being, when you talk about how special he or she is, you want to cite things that make him/her different from anyone else you know. Do so lovingly and they'll fall in love with your love letter.
Example of Saying "I Love You" - End of the Love Letter
Once you've finished the details, close by saying how much you love this person again. Say something like, "I love you so much and want to thank you for letting me share life with you." Once again, after going into details in the "Why I love You" part, a direct statement of love drives home the point better than something flowery or poetic.
Sample Love Letters - Closing
When looking at sample love letters examine they close. For your letter you could close with something like "Yours Truly" or "Your Sweetheart" or whatever his/her pet name for you is.
Once you've closed, you have a full love letter that lets your lover know how special they are. A love note doesn't have to be long, shorter than the length of our love letter samples and examples, I imagine.