如何写出一封完美的情书

Step 1: Presentation （外观）

The letter should look as beautiful as your feelings - a note scrawled in biro on the back of a beer mat is not going to make your Bella go weak at the knees. Use decent paper in a neutral, soft colour such as cream or white, and write with classy black or brown ink - no blues, greens or reds! This is not a note for the milkman! If you're expressing grown-up feelings, write a grown-up letter. Make sure it's hand-written as well - nothing screams impersonal like typing. And there's little that's romantic about an email or a text..

WARNING- if you send a love letter in a manila envelope, expect your relationship to end soon

Step 2: Set the mood （情绪）

If you're attempting to express your pent-up feelings through the medium of literature it is best to get yourself in a romantic mood before you begin. Writing to your sweetheart when busy, tired or drunk will probably not result in the masterpiece you were hoping for, so get yourself in the mood by lighting some candles and playing some soft, romantic music to stimulate the literary lover within.

Step 3: Greetings （问好）

Choose an endearing and personal greeting to head your letter. Don't be formal - a 'dear sir / madam' will probably not set your sweetheart's pulse racing. Embellish upon the theme of your love's first name - for example 'To my beautiful Kate' or 'My dearest Kate'. Or you might nick a quote from somewhere: 'my super dainty Kate' for instance, is nabbed from The Taming of The Shrew. There's a whole load of good stuff in the classics, so plagiarize away....

Whatever you do, don't spell their name wrong - Shakespeare himself wouldn't be able to salvage that wreckage!

Step 4: The Contents （内容）

Your love is your business, but if you're stuck for ideas the consider these:

The main body of the letter could include all the reasons why you fell in love in the first place. You could recall how you first met, or explain how you can't bear to be apart.

You could list your sweetheart's qualities, or mention special moments the two of you have shared. This is not the place for casual jokes or dirty suggestions - the love letter is about the heart, not the loins.

Step 5: Closing （结语）

End with something upbeat and romantic. 'Yours sincerely' or 'With regards' are not going to get your Love cooking on gas, and even just saying 'Love James' at the end shows a lack of effort. Put your back into it. You need a heartfelt, simple goodbye, for example 'Forever yours' or 'With all my heart'. Or something fancier and all la-di-dah, like 'You're the face that launched a thousand ships.'

Don't worry about sounding soppy - you've come too far now to suddenly get concerned about showing your true feelings.

Step 6: Sending It （寄出）

You might decide to include a special extra with the letter. Perfume it so it smells lovely when opened. You could add some dried rose petals, or maybe a sprinkle of those small stars you get from craft shops. Don't put anything too messy in however - a letter obscured by chocolate stains is unlikely to have the kind of impact you were hoping for. You could add a decorative stamp and affix it upside down - a custom that means 'I love you'. Remember, it's the little details that count. Now take a deep breath, make sure you mean what you're about to say, and send the letter to your loved one