Ten Tips for Writing Love Letters

Valentine's Day is approaching with the familiar panic of not being able to say r show how much you really care. This Valentine's Day, eliminate the hunt for a perfect card by custom tailoring a unique love letter for your significant other by following these guidelines.

1. Start sweetly. Begin your love letter with a heart-melting greeting. Keep it sweet, but not strained. Some successful starters have included, "Dearest Love," "My Dearest One," or a simple "Dearest" followed by a name.

2. Make it meaningful. Stress the importance of having your loved one in your life. To illustrate this importance, compare what life with vs. without your special someone would be like.

3. Focus. Keep your message focused mainly on the recipient of the letter. Only use your thoughts and feelings to emphasize the importance of your significant other.

4. be specific. You've heard it a million times, but what does that mean? Before beginning your love letter, make a list of 10 things you would miss about the one you love if they were gone for good. Include endearing quirks specific to your loved one such as gestures that are cute or the things about your loved one that make you catch your breath.

5. Avoid clichés. Clichés are phrases or images that are overused so they carry less meaning. Instead of saying "You are the love of my life..." say, "Your love is like the harvest moon- full and ripe, lighting the empty sky of my life.

6. Do use comparisons. To create your own vivid comparison, think of something pleasant to look at, something beautiful. Then, associate it with your loved one. You can start your comparison with "Your love is like..." as in the above example, or, you can start it like this, "Your love is as..."

7. Let your heart do the writing. When in doubt, say how you genuinely feel. Don't get lost in the window dressing of comparisons. If you are wandering away form the love you feel into feeling frustrated about expressing it well enough, stop trying so hard and just return to focusing on the love of your life.

8. Handwrite your letter. A handwritten love letter is like putting icing on a cake. The extra effort will be appreciated and your personality will reverberate through your written words.

9. Proofread your letter. Type it in a word processing document and spell-check it before you write it out by hand.

10. Close with a charmer. Using "sincerely" will deaden the love and passion you have so painstakingly poured into your letter. Instead, close with something like, "Yours forever," "Desperately yours "or" Forever loving you."