The Love Letter Lane Blog

Not just Valentine's Day

2009-02-11T00:39:00.005-05:00

Valentine's Day is no different than last Tuesday.

What?!

What I mean is we should take every day (every moment we have together) as precious! Not just special days, holidays and occasions.

Put some extra special thought into the day (everyday).
Do something to make a smile (everyday).
Plan something fun (everyday).
A nice meal together (everyday).
A surprise (doesn't need to cost money) (everyday).

Everyday, including Valentine's Day, your anniversary, and birthday.

At least take 5 minutes and write a love letter. Aren't they worth it? Of course they are.

The only reason to write love letters

2008-12-11T10:29:00.008-05:00

It’s a glimpse into the romance of John and Abigail Adams; their love and life revealed in thousands of letters – prompted (in part) by distance.

They used words to replace warmth, to stand-in for sight and as a temporary trade for tender touch. Then one day…

They wrote no more letters to one another. There was no need—they were together.

I wonder if there is another 1000 love letters somewhere in a chest under lock and key, because distance is not the only reason to write, right?

Write... love letters!

When you're away for sure, but also...

Because you want to create a smile
Because you want to enjoy the many benefits
Because you want your love to be remembered

How often do you say "Thank You" to the one you love?

2008-11-27T11:57:00.005-05:00

I know you’re thankful for plenty, but how often do you say it to the one you love?

Of course you say thank you to the obvious things like in response to, “pass the stuffing.” But this is more a matter of basic courtesy, because you’ve been taught good manners.

This is not what I’m talking about.

You'll also probably say thank you to big things like if you’re given a new car, a new computer, or a surprise party.

“Thank you, honey!”

You better say thank you and in this case - you probably really mean it. After all, you were just substantially gifted.

This is not what I’m talking about.

What I’m talking about is this: deliberately take notice of the little things like the smile, the kiss, or the thoughtful question or compliment. Don’t take a single thing for granted. Say thank you. If you don’t say it now, you may forget. And before you know it a whole lifetime will have passed and 1000 Thank You-s that could have been -- never were.

Small (but extremely valuable) opportunities lost.

Start with “Thank you for loving me” and then list at least 10 things they did within the last 24 hours.

Write them down and share them today.

Do it again tomorrow.

The next day, too.

How to make writing love letters a tradition

2008-11-13T17:14:00.007-05:00

Okay, let’s get right to the point. You should write love letters because it will bring you (and your true love) many lifelong rewards. Besides, it’s not that hard, especially with my simple love letter WRITE-ing technique.

But will you?

Will you write a love letter today, another next week and another the week after? Are you willing to make writing love letters a new tradition?

Don’t answer that. We'll come back to that question in a moment.

Tra∙di∙tion - an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior. ~ Webster

Assuming Webster’s correct, you’ll engage in a pattern of thought, action or behavior if that thought, action or behavior is one of three things:

Inherited.
Established.
Customary.

We’re talking about writing love letters, so unless I’m completely in the dark, it’s not a custom – at least here in the good old USA. So we can scratch that one off our list, because you’ll never get started if you wait for it to become customary.

Now I’m going to make a wild guess. You did not inherit this tradition either. I’m right, aren’t I? After all, this article is titled, “How to make writing love letters a tradition.” Since make = establish and since you're still reading this, clearly you want to learn how to establish this tradition? Hold tight, we're getting there.

Although you did not inherit this tradition, you may hand it down to your children as part of their inheritance one day. So let’s explore that idea a bit.

A tradition that’s inherited is witnessed, not taught with empty words, but caught from the people you respect most – those who routinely impart a standard of living through words and actions. They communicate with behavior. It’s education by example.

Good behavior is caught, not taught.

What kind of behavior will your children catch?

When you inherit a tradition like writing love letters, you’re gifted with wisdom, lessons of vision, persistence, and leadership; spared the longsuffering, failure, hardship and trials endured by those who came before you; and granted encouragement, counsel and accountability from the tradition’s founders (perhaps you one day) and of course, you’re endowed with all its rewards.

Don't you wish you inherited this tradition? (Yes!?) Then why not become that person?

Become the person who gifts wisdom, spares their progeny of hardship, grants them good counsel and encouragement, endows them with rewards that last a lifetime (and beyond). Establish this tradition (writing love letters) and leave it to your children as part of your legacy and part of their inheritance. Your life is already full of traditions. What’s one more, especially one of such great value?

What is a love letter tradition?

I’ll tell you what it’s not! Writing one lonely love letter is no tradition. It’s a whim, not a pattern. Writing two love letters is a little better, but still not a tradition. Writing love letters every Sunday for the rest of your life – now that’s a tradition.

Writing romantic love letters is the one the finest ways to get (and stay) committed to love and romance. That's a worthy cause, don't you agree?

Embrace this tradition, here’s how:

Step # 1 - Visualize the end result. Just imagine... decades from now you stumble upon an old chest up in the attic under lock and key. You tilt it open, sit back on your heals and think back as a small tear runs down your cheek. That old chest is your legacy. It’s filled with your love and your life recorded in thousands of love letters. You don’t have to read a single letter to know how great it was. You lived it. But you can’t help yourself, so you reach inside and pull one out. After hours of reading, remembering, laughing and crying you head downstairs, click off the light, shut the door behind you and smile – a smile that can’t be wiped off your face no matter what, because you have no regrets.

Step # 2 - Understand the love letter benefits. It's amazing that such a simple gesture as writing a love letter could have such a profound impact on you and your true love. Not to mention on all those watching you, observing your commitment to love (family, friends, neighbors, kids). If writing a love letter truly could produce this list of benefits, then why not invest just 5 minutes a week and bring back the lost art one letter at a time?

Step # 3 - Write down your love letter goals. There's something to be said for spontaneity. It creates excitement and thrills! You should definitely make a place for that in your life. But when faced with a challenge, setting goals and planning ahead is very wise. That is, if you plan on succeeding at whatever it is that you're facing. For instance, if you want to succeed at writing frequent love letters then I suggest you define some clear objectives, plan ahead and be diligent.

Step # 4 - Daily love letter inspiration from your journal. If you want to ensure this new tradition (writing love letters) sticks, perhaps you should build it into your daily routine. Even if you write weekly or monthly (I write weekly), devote some time each day to this tradition and it’ll be easier to maintain. Maybe first thing in the morning or the last thing you do before lights out, pull out your journal and jot down one thing you love about your sweetheart, one thing you can do better or one interesting (or new) thing you noticed. Just a few seconds each day and you'll more prepared when you sit down to write your next letter.

Step # 5 - Pick a day and a time. Set aside a specific day of the week and time for writing and sharing your love letters. Pick Sunday afternoon, Friday night, or Saturday morning during breakfast. Pick whatever works best for you. Just pick a time you can repeat each week.

A couple more things

Start simple (commit to 30 days), get a win under your belt and then go for another 30.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’ll miss a day or a week now and then. But we all make mistakes and fail. Just start up again. Eventually it will become second nature. Trust me.

So back to that question: are you willing to make writing love letters a new tradition?

Yes! I want to take the Love Letter Challenge today!

Make Your Love Letters Fun

2008-10-15T10:52:00.020-04:00

Start by asking yourself this question: "What are the things we have the most fun doing together?" List as many one-word answers to your question as possible... just jot them down quickly, one after another until you can't think of anymore. Read through your list and pick the Top 10 items... Top 20 if it's a long list. Then create a word find puzzle, print it out and stuff it inside a love letter.

Play the puzzle and then spend the next couple weeks enjoying each other... and all your fun ideas.

Here's some of the things I put on my list:

Put on some music. Dance.
Buy (or write) a crossword puzzle. Play.
Bake a cake. Eat.
Have a party. Mingle.
Work in the yard. Dig.
Snuggle up with a good book. Read.
Rent a movie. Watch.
Dust off those games. Laugh.
Pick out a new color. Paint.
Read the travel section. Dream.
Grab a pen. Write.
Find a blank pad. Draw.

All that’s within you

2008-10-13T10:43:00.010-04:00

Your hopes and dreams, merely an unwritten story. Your love, simply hearsay ... a fairy-tale unless given freely… with a pen, with a kiss.

Write your story, reveal your soul; share your words in a letter, a love letter.

Make it interesting...

"If you were a landscape you would have
wide open prairies (your understanding)
with lush green grass and patches of
wild flowers everywhere
(your easy nature and your beauty)."

Make it fun...

Empty your wants, needs and desires onto your pad. Write about your hopes and dreams. Make them colorful and exciting. Try something new. Keep writing. Surprise yourself and your true love with what’s inside you… perhaps things buried deep, things forgotten or just discovered.

Maybe writing comes easy, maybe not. But one thing is for sure: not writing is no cure. You must write today, tomorrow and the next. Keep writing, challenge yourself. Use a metaphor today, tomorrow an allegory and the next day, irony.

No Regrets

2008-10-07T09:55:00.041-04:00

Look around.

The world is filled with couples just getting by, doing what they always do, saying what they always say and acting like they always act. Where has that kind of "status quo" behavior led them? Not too far. Everyday couples endure stress and hardship and far too many split.

There is a solution, but few takers.

Why? Is it really that hard? How hard is it to put down that book, or turn off the TV, to skip the game, stop surfing the web, or to say 'No!' to working late? Is stepping out of the norm that difficult? Is it really that hard!?

Well, maybe it is. But isn’t it worth it?

Relationships are not easy. They take work. They require long hours of devotion, literally a lifetime of pursuit. They need constant attention and nurturing, looking after. They require you to experience pain, suffering, hardship, loss and sacrifice.

There! I said it. Relationships take “hard work” and they cause “pain.” I know it’s not a popular thing to say, but stay with me. I’m working on a point.

Yes, you'll experience some hard times, not just the good. Did you ever really think about that before? Or… are you only prepared for the good stuff; the hugs and kisses, the fun times, the laughter, the joy, the companionship, the comfort, the complete and total satisfaction that nothing else can give you? You'll get all those good things and more when you have a lifelong relationship – if you treat it well. In fact, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s so much better than that, almost indescribable, the joy you can and will feel when you take the time to work at it (again, slowly) when you take the time to work at it.

You can, but (unfortunately) you may never feel that kind of rich and lasting joy. Or you may only feel it for a short time, before it’s ripped away, tragically or perhaps consequently.

... your love and relationship is perhaps the most important thing you have on this planet.

The point is this: your love and relationship is perhaps the most important thing you have on this planet. It’s more important than even your sight, your friends, your job, your house, your car and most of your relationships, too. All those things can (and some will) pass away. They won't be there at your side when you take your last breath.

So if your relationship really is that important (and it is), what are going to do about it?

Are you going to act like those people who treat it cavalierly, take it for granted; who sit by and just watch it slip away? Are you going to settle for just okay, mediocre? Just do what you have to do to stay below the radar? Is that the plan? Do you think the most important person on the planet deserves a little more than that from you? Do you think that plan will serve you well? Will it make you proud? Is it how you want your children to act?

Son, just be a basic guy. Don’t work hard – especially at the things that matter most!

Of course not.

So many people treat everything in their life like royalty except their king or queen and they just don’t get it; they don’t “see the light” until it's too late, sadly. Don’t be one of them. Don’t follow the crowd. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Do something today.

You have the power to take the best thing you were ever given and give back… today, tomorrow and everyday.

You can make your life better; you can make your true love’s life better. You can do it. There is nothing more important today (who knows what tomorrow holds) than to go to that person and tell them you love them. And don’t stop there! They need to know it, words are not good enough. You need to make them feel and experience your love. Take those words and put them in writing, in a love letter. Read it aloud; talk it over – face to face – hug, kiss and then do it again tomorrow.

You love them. Now make them a believer.

Stop following the crowd, doing what everyone else is doing and awaken this cherished but fading tradition, writing romantic love letters.

If you want your relationship to withstand the greatest storms of life (they’re coming, they always do); if you want to enjoy your love today, tomorrow and forever; if you want a love that is deep, real, honest, true and longsuffering – then grab your pen and start writing.

Start your new tradition today.

Just Imagine... decades from now… you stumble upon that old chest up in the attic “under lock and key.” You tilt it open, sit back on your heals and think back as a small tear runs down your cheek. That old chest is your legacy. It’s filled with your love and your life, recorded in thousands of love letters. You don’t have to read a single letter to know how great it was, because you lived it. But you can’t help yourself. You reach inside and pull one out. After hours of reading, remembering, laughing and crying… you head downstairs, click off the light, shut the door behind you and smile... a smile that can’t be wiped off your face no matter what!

… because you have no regrets.

I Don’t Want To Write Love Letters …

2008-09-24T09:19:00.005-04:00

Some say, “I don’t want to write love letters…,” because…

I’m too busy
I just don’t want to
They wouldn’t want it anyway
I’m too embarrassed, I can’t write
It takes too long
I think about it, but always forget or get distracted

There are probably many more reasons too.

So what’s the big deal, why even write one! Why make the case for writing love letters?

Because I happen to think it’s very important. How important is your relationship to you? Pretty important, it’s maybe the most important thing in your life – more important than your job, your friends, your car, your house, any of your things and most of your relationships too.

So if it truly is that important – what can you do to ensure you keep it safe, nurture it, and secure it, so that it lasts… forever? I’ll tell you.

Go out of your way to learn your true love’s wants, needs and desires. Then work to deliver them – and that’s not just a one time assignment, because those wants needs and desire are ever-changing.

So be prepared for lifelong pursuit. It’s well worth it!

The rewards of a healthy, loving, close relationship with your true love out weigh most everything worth having on this planet. And guess what? Writing love letters is maybe one of the best things you can do to feed that relationship. By writing love letters, you’re communicating; you’re sharing, loving, dreaming, joking, and laughing, all the things crucial to a lasting loving relationship.

Don’t just write one either.

Write a bunch of love letters. Write one every day, at least once a week. It’s not that hard. It only takes about 5 minutes once you know how. And once you know, once a week will seem like a breeze. And once you do this, you’ll have a great new habit… one that will pay lasting rewards.

Is your relationship worth 5 minutes of your time?

The Anatomy of a Love Letter

2008-09-15T13:15:00.001-04:00

Most letters have the following basic format: a date, a greeting, a body, a closing, a signature and optionally, a postscript (PS).

Date

Put a date on all your letters. That date ties the letter to a specific time in your life and relationship. You’ll be glad you did, especially when you’re digging through those old letters 25 years from now.

Greeting

Your greeting should match the context of your letter and maybe even more importantly – your personality. For example, if you’re writing about her beauty (context = “beauty”) then you might greet her as “My beautiful Linda.” Get the idea? But make sure that your greeting is natural. When you write your love letter, you must not transform into some other person. The key is to be you. Just greet her in your letter the way you would greet her in person. Then it won’t seem fake, stuffy or forced.

Body

The body of your letter can be as short as one paragraph or as long as 10 or more pages, depending on what you have to say, of course. There are no rules on the length. That is all up to you. For help on writing your body, see the section in The Love Letter Handbook that discusses the WRITE system.

Closing

Your closing should pull all your ideas together into a summary or closing statement. It can be anywhere from a short sentence to a paragraph.

Signature

Your signature identifies your mood (e.g. “Joyfully yours”), or your feelings (e.g. “Missing you”), or your emotions (e.g. “Deeply in love”), or your expectations (e.g. “See you soon”), or whatever wraps up your message.

Postscript

Your postscript (PS), which is optional, goes last. It adds one or more thoughts that you may want to either highlight from the body of your message or add as an unrelated note. This is a good place to say, “Don’t forget about …” or “By the way …”

No Rules

Now this is the traditional format of a letter. But you are obviously free to write in any format you wish. As for me, many times I’ll write the love letter body and present it “as-is” with no greeting, closing or signature at all. Maybe I’ll post it to her Blog or frame it and hang it on the wall in our bedroom. This works well for love poems or “If you were…” love letters. And other times I’ll add the greeting, closing and signature afterwards and then simply stuff it into an envelope.

Writing Frequent Love Letters

2008-03-13T08:41:00.000-04:00

It is amazing that such a simple gesture as writing a love letter could have such a profound impact on you and your true love. Not to mention all those that are watching you, observing your commitment to love.

Writing Frequent Love Letters

Builds excitement that’s not easily quenched. Each letter, when prepared with care, is like a surprise gift, tucked behind the couch just out of sight, that appeared out of nowhere on Christmas morning.
Instills a joy that can endure the storms of life, and that can even place an upward curve on sweet lips that have been crying all day. A couple heartfelt words on a sheet of paper can work wonders.
Recovers happiness lost during the clutter of busy days, screaming kids, yelling bosses, traffic jams, spilled coffee or whatever the crazy episode of the day happened to be. All the worries of the day melt away when you know someone loves you, no matter what!
Creates hope even where hope never existed. A word of encouragement – a simple “I support you,” “We’ll get there together,” or “You can do it…” in a love letter can make you a believer.
Produces a forgiving spirit out your commitment to write frequent love letters – a habit that will result in a desire to keep your relationship pure and free from bitterness and grudges.
Encourages communication that results in a closer more intimate relationship; more meaningful conversations, more talking, joking and more laughing.
Stirs passions resulting in more nights out together, more flowers with a note two pages long, more mornings with breakfast in bed, and more hugs and kisses with no prompting whatsoever.
Cultivates trust and commitment that keeps growing stronger as you establish this excellent habit – writing frequent love letters.
Promotes romance… more alone time, more tenderness, more compassion, more concern, more fun, and more tiny surprises for no reason at all.
Dissuades wickedness by filling your heart and mind with love, tenderness, and compassion; leaving little and eventually no room for anything bad.
Relieves stress by helping you to relax, laugh and maybe even to cry happy tears.
Reduces fighting and tension by replacing those horrible, kill-joy, stress-creating parts of every relationship with patient loving conservations, prompted by a love letter. Who wouldn’t want to reduce or even eliminate, if at all possible, fighting and tension?
Abolishes sadness with a few genuine words like “I love you,” “I’m here,” or “Just wait until you see…” – words that can change your mood instantaneously. Telling them you love them, sharing a happy note, or hinting to a fun surprise works every time.
Eradicates loneliness with communication that’s sincere and hard to challenge. Commitment to sharing deep thoughts, concerns, worries, hopes, and dreams can only result in a closer relationship – not one that’s more distant.
Dissolves boredom because writing and reading love letters is a fun and exciting activity that never gets old. You can easily spend a lifetime pursuing your lover’s ever-changing wants, needs and desires.
Sets a good example for all those around you, who are watching you and your commitment to love. Your friends, relatives, neighbors and your children are watching you. This is your chance to be a good role model. As it’s been well said, “… good character is caught, not taught.”
Endorses faithfulness by filling your heart, mind and soul with love for your one and only true love. And by committing to keep filling your heart, mind and soul with things that are lovely, and everything good.
Deters deceit because it is hard to genuinely move in two separate directions at the same time. Perhaps some can, but even so, writing frequent love letters with words of love, compassion, hope, joy and happiness will eventually tug on the conscience, suggesting change.

If writing a love letter truly could produce that list of benefits, then why not invest even just 5 minutes a day and bring back the lost art, one letter at a time.

I made a personal commitment to write frequent love letters to my darling wife; to warm her soul, nourish her heart, to make certain she knows and feels my love, to add excitement, surprise, joy, hope, and everything good to her life.

I challenge you to do the same for your true love.

How Can I Help You?

2008-03-12T10:20:00.001-04:00

Maybe you need some inspiration for your love letter, a way to find a great opening line, how to write the middle, or how to close elegantly.

Anyone can write a love letter regardless of their writing ability – that is a fact!

But choosing the best words is not always easy.

But it can be. That is, if you know what to do. Fortunately, there are simple and timeless directions on letter-writing that I stumbled across a couple years ago and ever since, writing of all kinds has been natural and easy. Even, of course, writing love letters. With these techniques, I am now able to write love letters in minutes – not hours, and even books in days – not weeks or years.

And you can too. I’ll show you how.

I adapted the techniques learned from all my studies into a simple 5 step system that will help you write a beautiful love letter in just 5 minutes – guaranteed! It will work, regardless of your level of creativity and writing ability, I promise. Everyone who loves can write a love letter, everyone. No person is excluded. I firmly believe that and I sincerely want that, for you.

Motivated by a desire to improve the quality of life for my own sweetheart, I began to write frequent love letters to her. Over time I began to compile stacks of notes and letters and a system that I used for myself. Later, I realized that I could use this valuable information to help others.

To help you.

So I decided to organize it all into a book... a book that I want to make available to you.

Learn more about “The Love Letter Handbook."

Vote For Me

2007-11-10T14:15:00.000-05:00

I took this poem and entered it in Poetry.com's monthly poetry contest. Now I'm no poet, but I did win their editor's choice award... although I'm not real sure how many others (hundreds or thousands) won that same award. They did say I was in the top 12% of the thousands of entries.

Not too bad, I guess, for a first-time poet.

Take a look and vote for me if you like it.

If You Were A Landscape...

2007-11-01T13:56:00.000-04:00

You would have wide open prairies (your understanding) with lush green grass and patches of Wild Flowers everywhere (your easy nature and your beauty).

Although you sit under partly sunny skies, (your wonderful joy that's shaded by hardship), your summit allows a view of the horizon that is so clear and beautiful, (your optimism and hope endure), and...

On it you can almost see forever (your dreams coming true).

There is a strong tree (your husband) by a King-sized river (our source of strength and nourishment from God), that sustains you and your gardens (your children so beautiful and tender).

So wonderful and inviting that all who dwell there, rejoice! (Your family loves to be with you)

How To Find Free Love Letter Samples

2007-10-26T11:19:00.008-04:00

You would never copy someone else's love letter and send it to your true love, but you may be interested in reading someone else's Love Letter for inspiration...

But where do you find these free love letter samples.

Stop by Love Letter Lane or this BLOG and I'll provide them for you from time to time. Or click on the "Love Letter Samples" label on the sidebar for a complete list of all past posts...

Or you could go find them yourself.

There are so many love letter samples available to you right now for free. They're out there... hundreds of them, maybe even thousands of them.

Search Google's digital book library, type in "Love Letter Samples" and you'll find lots of books bursting with... (guess what?) Love Letter Samples. Now some of the books you find will not be free; you may only get a preview.

To find the free books, you need to use the Advanced Book Search and add "0" to "1923" in the "Publication Date" fields. The books returned from this search are free because there's no copyright protection them; in the US, books published before 1923 are in the public domain and so Google will allow you to read and even download the entire book.

Happy searching.

Check out my Google Book Library.

Love Letter Inspiration from Petrarch

2007-10-23T16:53:00.000-04:00

THE stars, the elements, and Heaven have made
With blended powers a work beyond compare;
All their consenting influence, all their care,
To frame one perfect creature lent their aid.
Whence Nature views her loveliness display'd
With sun-like radiance sublimely fair ;
Nor mortal eye can the pure splendour bear :
I've, sweetness, in unmeasured grace array'd.
The very air illumed by her sweet beams
Breathes purest excellence ; and such delight,
That all expression far beneath it gleams.
No base desire lives in that heavenly light,
Honour alone and virtue!—fancy's dreams
Never saw passion rise refined by rays so bright.

CAPEL Lofft.

THE stars, the heaven, the elements, I ween,
Put forth their every art and utmost care
In that bright light, as fairest Nature fair
Whose like on earth the sun has nowhere seen;
So noble, elegant, unique her mien,
Scarce mortal glance to rest on it may dare.
Love so much softness and such graces rare
Showers from those dazzling and resistless een.
The atmosphere, pervaded and made pure
By their sweet rays, kindles with goodness so,
Thought cannot equal it nor language show.
Here no ill wish, no base desires endure,
But honour, virtue. Here, if ever yet,
Has lust his death from supreme beauty met. MACGREGOR

Love Letter Inspiration from Shakespeare

2007-10-23T16:15:00.000-04:00

(Click on image to download)

The Presentation Of Your Love Letter

2007-10-19T11:30:00.000-04:00

... is maybe just as important as the content. If you deliver your love letter on a coffee-stained napkin, I’m sure it will be received and she may even say she loves it, but only because it came from you and only because she loves you...

But it just won’t compare with the very same letter delivered…

In a beautiful envelope,
With your custom artwork on the front,
A love stamp positioned (just so) on the top-right corner,
Little tiny love sayings all over the outside, and
A special surprise bulging out as she opens it... (Maybe a ring or a ticket to the opera).

Get the idea?

Even before she gets to the letter… she is so excited… You’re making it fun and exciting! How can a silly little napkin compare. Even if the actually letter was mediocre… the whole experience was just so much better… it was superior… It was memorable.

Well just so you know… there are lots of ways to make your love letter exciting to open… and it doesn’t always have to be an actual handwritten letter inside of an envelope… Use your imagination…

Put it inside a box… or hide it in her favorite book, under her pillow and tied with a red ribbon…

Do something… anything! Anything other than, “Hey, yo, here’s your love letter…” as you hand her a stained piece of paper… all wrinkled and with no care, feeling or effort whatsoever.

The Art of Love Letter Writing

2007-10-18T08:51:00.000-04:00

"The best directions for good writing are: Write as you speak, write just what you have to say, write exactly the things you feel, exactly the words you would say if your correspondent were sitting by you—in short, to use Lady Hesketh's phrase, write 'what comes uppermost;' so your letters will be true, fresh, life-like and interesting.

The best direction that could be given for letter-writing is, to ask you to call imagination to your aid. Fancy your friend or correspondent to be sitting by you, say what you would say if such were the case, and then write it down. Do this, and your letter cannot fail to be what a letter ought to be,—a picture of your thoughts, interesting to your correspondent in exactly the same proportion as he or she is interested in yourself or your concerns.

No one speaks in the longest words he can pick out of the dictionary; no one speaks in studied phrases, such as may be read in pedantic books; and no one ought to write in such.

The best writing for letters is natural, unstudied flowing fresh from the heart—just 'what comes uppermost.'"

Published by Oxford University in 1867, these words of advice apply to all kinds of letter writing, including love letters... and they remain true today... (click on the image above to download this entire book for free)

Your Love Letters Are Almost Poetic

2007-10-17T10:21:00.000-04:00

The ideas that you pen in your love letters are the basis for your next (or your first) poem.

I recently wrote a love letter to my sweetheart... and by accident the last two lines rhymed... so I decided to exercise my poetic ability.

That love letter was a one pager... that after some editing turned into this poem:

Home-town love found over a hot dog counter,
Amid fading names and faces…
The girl would become my wife despite the stage.

An encounter from early dreams,
with mountain tops and ocean scenes… once of age.

But breathtaking reality that momentous day,
Altered the course of my life.

That day, in my home-town,
over the hot dog counter… I met my wife.

8 Love Letter Ideas

2007-10-16T18:57:00.001-04:00

Write a Love Letter using one or all of these Love Letter Ideas... or come up of with some of your own... be creative,

"...you’re limited only by your unlimited imagination."

Just because: Write about whatever moves you… think of your special someone and ask yourself who, what, where, why, when, how. Write from your heart.
Top 10: “…Reasons I love you,” “…Places we’ve been,” “…Things you say,” “…Adorable habits,” “etc…”
Best of the month: Slow down and take notice. Record the things you love most about her in your journal. One day each month, review them and pick your favorite. Now write her a love letter…
Treasure hunt: Buy something nice and hide it. Write a love letter a day… hinting to its location.
Secret message: Write a letter with a dual message. It’s just a regular old letter until you apply the decoder – then you see the love letter appear.
Plot: Remake your favorite romantic movie or book with you and your true love as the leading man and lady. Blueprint the book, and send her a page or a chapter at a time… You can do it. Need help?
Dream it: Imagine a life with NO constraints… for you and your true love… take her into your dreams and don’t leave out a single detail… “the color of her sandals…,” “the flower in her hair,” …
If you were: a melody, a desert, a landscape, a book, a movie, etc.

A Love Letter About... The Way Her Hair Falls Across Her Cheek

2007-10-15T10:44:00.000-04:00

Slow down and take notice. Soak up every minute you have. Enjoy...

"The way her hair falls across her cheek, her dimples, her smile, the way she moves, talks, and laughs. Remember the jokes, the stories, and the dreams."

I know you could list a thousand things… if you just took the time. Take the time and record the best things in your journal. One day each month, review them and pick your favorite one.

Now write her a love letter…

"The way your hair falls across your cheeks… softly, lovely, …”

Love Letter Ideas, Tips, and Gifts

2007-10-12T10:57:00.001-04:00

Amazon.com Widgets

Create your love letters in new and exciting ways...

DO Handwrite your love letters on notes, napkins, the fridge, or even on pancakes. Paint them, sing them, maybe even record them on audio or video. Get creative. You can do it.

DON'T type your love letters and send them in emails. Unless you put plenty of thought and creativity into it... you will hear, "(Yawn) oh, that's nice, thanks." ... like bringing home flowers only because you tripped over the flower lady.

Go out of your way... and you will hear,"OH! (pause) (tears) (kiss)," and then softly, "...thank you, baby."

Other good love letter ideas: handwrite your love letter, put it in an envelope, place a love stamp on it and send it through the mail; write her a short story, write her a book (yes, you can); or...

Create a Blog, for her eyes only. No worries, it's FREE and EASY. Click the "Create Blog" link above and then follow the instructions. Add some handpicked gifts for her to choose from (your treat) by clicking "GET THIS WIDGET" under the slide show above.

Find all these love letter ideas in my free new e-book... with all the nitty gritty explained. (coming soon)

To my one and only: head over to your private Blog... and pick a gift.

Love Letters of an Actress

2007-10-10T20:12:00.001-04:00

Looking for some free sample love letters?

Read "Love Letters of an Actress" By Elsie Janis, D. Appleton and Company... Elsie (the actress) gets love letters from a diverse crowd of men: an infatuated boy, a lawyer, a composer, an actor, a platonic friend, a millionaire, a literary man, a farmer, and a stranger.

This little book was published in 1913, so you can download it for free.

The book ends with this love poem:

Apres- Tout
In each life there is a Something
That remains the unattained.
In each heart there is a longing
For Something it has not gained.
So we go on madly struggling
In some future love we dwell,
Yet they say that for each struggler
There's a Someone. Who can tell?

Love Letter Inspiration From Your Journal

2007-10-10T09:29:00.000-04:00

"Ah man, that looks good," one of my faves... mental note, "make cider donuts this weekend with kids."

Minutes later, my boss calls and I run off to fight a fire... mental note lost forever.

Stuff happens all day long, everyday: mouth-watering cider donut recipes, ideas for that book you always dreamed of writing, your most romantic idea ever...

How are you going to remember it all with life coming at you so fast? Write it down in a journal or else it may just be lost forever... or at least forgotten and not remembered until it's too late.

Three Easy Steps...

Step 1: Buy a small journal that you can carry with with you everywhere you go. Yes, everywhere... you never know when that big idea is going to show up.

Step 2: When you get an idea, see a recipe, anything... simply pull out your journal, date and number the top-right of the page, mark the left-hand column with a Tag, like: "recipe", "business idea", "love letter topic", "phone number",... and then record your item.

Step 3: Don't forget to index! Leave a few blank pages at the end of your journal for the sole purpose of indexing. Alphabetically, add each Tag used during the day to your index (i.e. if it's not already there). Then list the page number where that item is found.

It's so easy. Only a few minutes of effort and you recorded all your best ideas.

Now you know right where everything is... all your recipes are on pages 1,6, and 20; all your business ideas on pages 16 and 23; and all your love letter ideas on pages 1,2,3,4, and 5.

Tip: Don't pass up any thought, love letter idea, recipe... write them all down. That idea you thought was silly may just turn out to be the best idea you ever had.