How to Write a Love Note

Sometimes it happens that I have a day off, while my boyfriend has to leave for work early. What I like doing then, is to leave him a note. It's fun to do, and I know he likes reading a personal message that makes him feel loved after an exhausting day at work. All my notes are different, but the formula is always the same. Have you ever wanted to leave a note, but don't know what to write? Well then, read on.

Love notes are sweet, short, and very personal, as they're written especially for that one person you like best. Write clearly, concisely, and mean every word you say. It's up to you what you want to write: one person writes one thing, while the other writes something else entirely. Regardless of what you write, make sure that it suits your personality, that you mean it, and that you have fun writing it!

Note: Love notes are about showing vulnerability. I am not a very good artist, so adding a hand-drawn illustration only makes it more special and endearing to your reader. If you are quite a skilled artist, don't hesitate to add as many drawings as possible!

So, what you need when you want to write your love note, is two pieces of paper (ruled paper works better; I am one of those unfortunate souls whose writing tends to droop when it's just blank paper - you might write your best piece of literature ever, but the result will always be hilarious rather than heartwarming), and a pen. Yes, you read that right. Two is the number of papers you need. Not one, not three, but two. One of them is used for drafts, while the other one is the final version. Remember: keep it short. Nobody wants to come back home and see a complete novel waiting for them on the table.

Furthermore: It might be helpful to write your note at a desk or table, as your handwriting will be prettier compared to writing in bed.

You are writing a note to let your loved one know you're thinking of them, even when they're not there. Therefore, leave behind formalities or far-fetched salutations, but rather keep it as short and sweet as possible. This will make the reader know they're the only one who is allowed to read your message. Look at the pictures for a couple of examples.

Nicknames are always a good idea as they are personal and evoke shared memories. If you find you like writing this love note and decide to write more in the future, make sure to use a different nickname each time. This will make each note unique, and if the reader saves all your notes to read them again later, they'll have a great time recognising all those cute nicknames you've come up with.

What were you doing that made you want to write this note? Is it to tell the other you miss them? Or to tell them you have eaten the plums that were in the icebox? Or to let them know you'll be waiting for them when they return tonight? Or just to make sure they know you're thinking about them? It's all possible, really. You are writing them a note, not a complete love letter, or an epic poem. Look at the pictures for some examples, and decide what type of message works best for you.

Again, make sure you mean what you say. If you want to share something you might think is boring, do it anyway. It doesn't matter how riveting it is; as long as you surprise your loved one with a message, anything will be good.

So, you've just told your loved one why you're writing this, you've described the setting, and now it's time to start with the real deal. Be honest. What do you feel? Make sure you convey that message. Try to be as original as possible, so write something that sounds like you. It's so much fun to think of something yourself, rather than copying a bunch of love poems from the internet. Still, if there's a quotation from that one particular show you both like, do include that, of course. Don't overdo it, though, because then it might turn into a giant cliche: it's your personal love note, not something that a computer could randomly generate if you type in some key words.

However, if you want to add some humour to your note, writing nothing but cliches can have a hilarious effect. Try to play with this on your draft paper. If you're happy with it, add it to your finalised note.

This speaks for itself, I think. This is what you write down when you've finished writing your declaration of love, and you want to finish your note. Usually a letter (or an email - let's face it, I'm aware that writing a love note sounds hopelessly old-fashioned) ends with something like 'yours faithfully', or 'best wishes'. Ew, how formal. Hugs and kisses is more like it, really. Or, if you're really getting into this whole note-writing business, exaggerate it.

Look at the pictures for inspiration.

Just like the start of your note, the ending should be fun and personal. Of course, it's perfectly fine to end with just your name, or add 'your' to it (just in case you think you haven't made yourself clear enough that you belong to this person). Or come up with a nickname he or she likes to use when you're together. As soon as you've done that, you're done!

It often happens that you realise you've forgotten something. In that case, you can add a postscript. Furthermore, sometimes people write a love note not only because of the reasons I've mentioned above. There might also be an underlying reason, and usually it's to get someone to do something. For instance, you could add a shopping list, or ask someone to finally book a table at that lovely restaurant. It makes sense, really; you've just taken the time to tell someone you love them, so they should be so happy with you that they can't refuse anything you ask of them. It's not that romantic, but hey, it is sensible, right?

Of course, do bear in mind that there's no one perfect way in which to write your love note. I've merely tried to give you some guidelines that might be useful. So if you've got an entirely different style, then please use that one. Would you like to share the love note you've just written? Hit the "I've made this button" or post it in the comment box!