Love Letters

The trick to writing a good love letter is to remember that there are two people involved. This should be obvious, but it is surprising how easy it is to get caught up in your own emotions and thoughts and forget that there is this whole other person out there who is actually quite important. Here are some tips to help you stay on the right track.

Check your keywords

Stand back for a moment from your letter, and view it as a jumbled collection of words rather than sentences. Are there any words appearing suspiciously often? If "I" is in there too much, that's a problem. If all the words are abstract (love, beauty, happiness) that is also not so good; it is better to have a healthy dose of real, solid, phrases (door, forehead, peanut butter) as well.

Bad: I love your beauty, it makes me happy.

Better: I remember watching you spread peanut butter on your bread, your every movement a caress. How I envied that bread.

Too much: I have nose hair.

Freedom wins

Try not to express feelings that limit the freedom of your beloved. Make the case for why being with you is a good thing, rather than listing all the bad things that might happen if they chose someone else. Nobody likes to feel pressured.

Bad: Please return my love. Without you, my life is empty, and I don't know if I can go on.

Better: I'd like to sing to you in the morning, and, if you want, you could sip my tea in the afternoon.

Too much: We could be great together, let us found a new nation with our awesome progeny.

Alien perspective

Pretend you are an alien who is just learning about humans and has not got a great handle on our emotions yet. Read what you are writing and ask the question, would an alien think this was a positive experience or a negative experience? Stick with the positive.

Bad: I am sick with love for you. Every day I am in agony waiting for our brief moments together.

Better: When we are together, the sun seems to shine brighter, and the world is a more joyful place.

Too much: Your love is really good for my sinuses.

Further reading

You might also be interested in reading:

• How to write sweet notes - tips for what to write in emails, letters, and cards.
• Romantic things to do online - fun things to do on the web for your beloved.
• Romantic nicknames - unusual names for your mate.
• Responsible romance - make a gift sweeter by making it good-er.

Examples

• 300 love letters, love letters to strangers.
• Love letter collection, a fairly big edited archive of love letters.
• Civil War era love letters, very purdy indeed, ma'am.