how to write a love letter 💌

with it being the season of love and all

Recently, I came across an old relic from my Tumblr days that I had forgotten: Alex Turner’s love letter to Alexa Chung. The first time I encountered the letter, I was fourteen, enamored with the prospect of receiving a letter. When the opportunity came, I found that the act of writing a letter was just as fulfilling as receiving one.

the aforementioned letter

Ever since, I’ve written at this point likely hundreds of love letters — to partners, friends, and family.

That said, here is my short, guide to writing the perfect love letter.

The best love letters:

Are evidence of your knowing — it’s a testament that for all the time spent together, you know them: quirks and all. Letters should be personalized a manifestation of the recipient’s interest or perhaps common interests. Inside jokes, stickers, and doodles are all evidence of thought and time well spent.

a couple of inspo pics i found on pintrest

They also aren’t limited to pen and paper. Sometimes a different medium is the way to go. Letters can be written digitally, on textiles, within books, coffee sleeves, and so much more! Here are a couple of my favorite ideas:

• receipt or ticket stub – from a special date or event

• fabric – handwritten on a handkerchief, ribbon, or embroidered on a cloth

• inside a vinyl record sleeve – a hidden message with a song or album that means something

• newspaper or magazine clippings – you can circle words or write between the lines

• chocolate wrapper – sweet words for sweet treats

• polaroids – Write a short message on the white border

• a postcard from a place you both dream of visiting – great for long-distance love or friendship

• mirror with lipstick – if you won’t mind the cleaning it can be a romantic surprise in the morning

• a paper plane – a love letter that flies!

• napkins – a classic & impulsive

In addition, the best letters are aspirational — they suggest wanting something more. A proposal of sorts. Whether that be a kiss, hug, cuddle, or offer of love or sex, it promises a beginning to the relationship. Or if written for a longtime partner it promises the continuation of that partnership.

They plant the seed of anticipation, a gentle nudge toward what could be or what still is. A love letter, at its best, does not just reflect the present—it reaches forward, inviting the recipient into a shared future, whether that’s the next moment or the next lifetime. It is a bridge between hearts, woven with words and longing.

Lastly, the best love letters hold a sense of urgency — they must get the letter now! In my opinion, the best love letters are written with a sense of urgency. The thought of a lover quickly writing a letter to express then inform you of their immediate feelings.

The best letters are unprompted, untimely, and unexpected. Don’t let the grammar stop you; it doesn’t have to be the best, it just has to get the job done. Don’t revise, let all those commas and exclamation points be!!

Let the letter exist as a raw, unedited manifestation of your feelings. Allow it to be a rush of emotion, a confession that tumbles out before doubt has the chance to settle in.

A love letter should feel like it was meant to be read the moment it was written as if the words might vanish if not delivered at once. Urgency is what makes it feel alive—imperfect, breathless, and undeniably real.

I think love letters are a rare kind of magic—proof that love or friendship can be captured in words, and carried across time and distance. Whether it’s a grand declaration or a fleeting whisper of affection, what matters most is that it’s written at all.

It being the season of love and all, I hope this short guide, will compel you to write a letter of your own!