Put down that chocolate. Ignore the teddy bears. This Valentine's Day, pick up your pen. A love letter is a surefire way to make your significant other swoon.

"There's something special about the thought of another person taking time to express themselves emotionally," said Lavern Nissley, executive director of the Marriage Resource Center of Miami Valley in Ohio.

WRITING TIPS

First, choose your paper and shun your computer. "Even if your handwriting's horrible," a typewritten note is too impersonal, said Maureen Fry, director of the Writing Center at Wittenberg University. Advisers there have helped perfect a few love letters in the last decade or so.

Refer to your sweetheart by name, and ignore any nickname you wouldn't normally use, Fry said. So if you don't call her "honey bun" out loud, it's probably best to leave it out of the letter, too.

Compliment specific traits and use simple, straightforward language, Fry said.

Poor grammarians, take heart. "I don't think mistakes are going to matter if it's honest," she said.

Focus more on virtues such as honesty and loyalty than on physical attributes that can fade over time, Nissley said.

Mention shared hopes and dreams, and emphasize your commitment. "Few partners tire of hearing this expressed genuinely," Nissley said.

Avoid threats of self-harm if the relationship ends, and beware of inappropriate sexual innuendo, Nissley said.

Still think your darling would be disappointed without a bouquet? Be creative with your card.

"All my love," and "Happy Valentine's Day. I love you" are the most common messages, said Susie Heinzen, a designer at Schneider's Florist in Springfield, Ohio.

But the shop, which receives hundreds of orders for the day, has seen a few gems over the years:

"Next to you these flowers will pale, but they will remind you of a love that won't fail."

And, for blooms sent before Valentine's Day, it would be difficult to resist this sentiment:

"I couldn't wait another day to say I love you."