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Put passion to paper

Any tips on how to write a really good love letter?

Ah, the love letter. There's nothing better to get -- or scarier to write.

The secret is not fancy stationery (as some experts I spoke with insisted) or quoting obscure poetry you find online (also suggested as a way to sound "deep"). "The best love letters are about things that are personal, flattering and show appreciation," says Samara O'Shea, author of a new book, "For the Love of Letters." Here's how to write a good one:

Be specific. In addition to the usual compliments about how kind, beautiful, intelligent and witty he or she is, mention what makes you smile, like when he sings '80s metal ballads while cooking or she cries at pet commercials.

Get positively serious. Let her know all the specific ways she has helped you or improved your life.

Make 'em laugh. Nothing is more intimate than the inside joke, the flaw that both of you have accepted and makes you smile at the mere mention of it. For example, if you (like me) had an annoying habit of never closing kitchen cabinet doors all the way, saying, "You made me appreciate being able to see what cereal we had on hand from 20 paces," would be a crackup.

Take matters in hand. Unless your penmanship is illegible, write your note by hand. Insist on declaring your love electronically? Try using a fancy font to give it a special touch.

Say thanks. It's not corny. A love letter should say, "thank you, just because."

Make it genuine. Getting a love letter as an apology or a plea isn't romantic, it's manipulative.

And remember: The worst thing you can do is not send one at all.

Send questions to Contributing Editor Dennie Hughes at usaweekend.com.