writing a letter

[leanne_1987]

I know how stupid this will sound but i've never had to write a letter before! My new boyfriend is in the army and he is based in Cyprus, we have only been together for 3 weeks whilst he was home on leave so we have agreed to see how the long disance relationship works, anyway he wants me to write to because it will be cheaper than texting and ringing bu t i have no idea what so ever to write in a letter, i don't know were to start, what to write about etc baring in mind we have only known each other for 3 weeks we don't know that much about each other. Any ideas what to write about?

[MarkRae]

Write what you would say to him if you spoke to him on the phone...

[vallaw]

Since you don't really know each other, why not tell him about yourself? Things you like, places you love, what you have been doing, ask about him . .

[leanne_1987]

i know that but on the phone we can have a conversation

[ubasses]

Just tell him what you jave been doing since he has been gone, what any mutual friends have been up to, how things are at work etc. Don't make it sound like you are having a whale of a time without him. Ask him some questions avoiding the obvious that he cannot answer.

[boxtops]

Leanne, I would just write a short page, saying Hi, how are you, how are you settling in over there? He won't be able to tell you too much about what's going on his daily life (people in the Army tend not to) so be prepared for that - but you can tell him about what you've been up to. End it saying you hope that he'll write back soon. I wouldn't give out personal info or get into deep discussion about anything - you haven't know him long enough. Just write and say hi, and leave it to him to write back. If he doesn't reply in a couple of weeks, you can send a follow-up saying, did you get my first letter, I'm not sure how the postal service to the Army overseas works? - and so on. Keep it light!

[cathfromsaron]

back in the day my former childhood sweatheart and i used to exchange an audio tap/cassette! we used to just say what we had been doing and what we planned to do ... but if you still want to write a traditional letter, you don't actually have to write that much! why not send a nice card and photo, with a few words about what you have been doing? xx

[leanne_1987]

I hate talking about myself feel so uncomfortable, seems to me that i will ust be asking him questions throughout lol

[boxtops]

Don't talk about yourself then - ask him how he is, say what's been happening with your mates, you don't have to mention yourself. Ask him too if he's got an email address out there - that might be easier than snail mail, and it's much less formal.

[JonnyBoy12]

This does sound a bit silly but we are all very kind and understanding on here. Did you not have to write a dummy letter at school as part of English then? I had to do that many times and then went on to become the greatest letter writer in history. Okay, that is an exaggeration but have written more than I can care to remember.

[woofgang]

My dH and I courted before mobile phones and computers. He was at sea and we used to write to each other. We both used to do a little bit every day and post about once a week....stuff like the funny thing you saw on the way to work, the work colleague that got up your nose...new clothes you have bought, movies that you have seen or the tv progs you watched, plans for when he gets home, the weather, just general witter.

[jno]

technical things: put your address at the top (in case the letter goes astray, they know who to return it to) and the date (so he knows what day of the week you're talking about.

And of course your name at the end (because unlike emails etc, letters don't come through with your name automatically atached).

[leanne_1987]

thanks all, having a go at the min, its quite ok once you get going and get into it, writing little bits at the min and going to read it back and write in up shortly, it is really weird fell completely in love with him in 3 weeks! never thought it would happen like this

[scowie]

Personally, if I didnt have anything in particular to say I wouldnt write. I dont think you should feel obligated to.

[Kleiber]

Scowie, he's asked her to write to him! Seems to me like the pair of them are starting to fall in love. Don't anybody say it's too soon because it happened to me too and we were together for 17 wonderful years. Leanne, good luck, love!!! K xx