Let’s be honest: the idea of a love letter almost feels quaint. In a world of emojis, DMs, and voice notes that disappear after one play, sitting down to handwrite your feelings seems... outdated. Out of sync. Like something out of a movie set in Paris before smartphones ruined the art of mystery.
And yet, there’s something magnetic about a love letter. Something permanent. Intimate. Entirely different from a message tapped out on a phone while waiting for your coffee.
So, do people still write them?
Not many.
But maybe they should.
What a Love Letter Really Is (and Isn’t)
A love letter isn’t just a grand declaration. It doesn’t need wax seals or cursive that looks like it belongs in a museum. It’s not about saying the most poetic thing ever written. It’s about being honest. Vulnerable. Present. It’s about pausing long enough to think about what this person means to you and then putting that feeling into words that don’t vanish the moment they’re read.
A real love letter sounds like you. Not a Hallmark voice. Not something stolen from a movie. Just your voice, your memories, your hopes - spilled out in ink.
And you don’t need to wait for Valentine’s Day. Or a birthday. Or an apology. Love letters hit hardest on a random Tuesday.
Why It Matters More Now Than Ever
We’ve never been more connected, and yet somehow less intentional. We text while doing five other things. We skim messages. We respond with hearts instead of sentences. Our words move fast - and disappear faster.
A love letter slows you down.
It forces you to sit with your feelings. To consider, carefully, what this person brings into your life. And for the person receiving it? It’s proof. Not just that they’re loved, but that they were worth slowing down for.
In a culture built on instant everything, permanence is powerful.
You Don’t Need to Be a Writer
This stops people all the time. “I wouldn’t know what to say.” But here’s the thing: the best love letters aren’t perfectly written. They’re personal. A little messy. A little raw. They’re full of half-thoughts, small memories, maybe even a bit of awkwardness. That’s what makes them real.
You can talk about the moment you knew they were different. A habit of theirs you secretly love. A list of things you’ve never said out loud. Or just: I don’t always say this well, but I want you to know...
The structure doesn’t matter. The truth does.
It Doesn’t Have to Be Paper (But It Helps)
Yes, you can write a beautiful love letter in an email or a shared note app. The words are what count. But there’s something about holding paper that makes it hit harder.
Handwriting adds texture. The feel of the paper, the way the ink sometimes smudges - it all turns your words into a physical object. A keepsake. Something they might fold up and tuck into a drawer, or carry with them, or reread years from now when they want to remember how it all felt.
That kind of permanence? You can’t swipe it away.
Start Small
You don’t need to write pages. You can start with a paragraph. A few sentences. A sticky note on the bathroom mirror that says something only they would understand. That’s still a love letter. If it’s honest, it counts.
Over time, you might surprise yourself. Maybe you leave one in a jacket pocket. Maybe you hide one in a book they’re reading. Maybe you give them one on the day you propose, or the day you move in together, or the day you both really need a reminder that love is still there - even in the chaos.
So, Do People Still Write Love Letters?
Not as much as they used to. But they should.
Because the truth is, nothing beats being told how loved you are in words that someone had to sit with first. Words that don’t ask for a reaction. Just a heartbeat. Just a breath. Just a moment of knowing you’re seen.
So grab a pen. Write something. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be real.
