An empty wooden chair beside a folded letter on a table, soft grey daylight

Collection

Sad & Goodbye Love Letters

Frequently asked questions

How do you write a goodbye love letter?

Begin with the truth, not the lead up. Name what is ending in the first line. Say what was good before you say what is over. Give one or two clean reasons, not a list of grievances. Close with a wish for them. Keep it under a page. A goodbye letter is a goodbye, not a court case.

Should I send a goodbye letter or have the conversation in person?

Have the conversation if the relationship was long or serious. The letter is for what could not be said in the room, or for what you want them to read alone after. For shorter relationships a letter on its own can be kinder than a face to face that turns into an argument. The format matters less than the care.

Is it okay to write a goodbye letter to someone who has died?

Yes, and many people find it one of the few things that helps. The letter has no audience but you and the page, which is part of why it works. Write what you did not get to say. Keep it, burn it, leave it somewhere they used to be. There is no wrong way to write this kind of letter.

What do I do with a goodbye letter I cannot send?

Keep it. A goodbye letter that lives in a drawer is still doing work, it is holding the words you no longer have to carry. Some people read theirs once a year, some never look at it again. Both are fine. The act of writing the letter is most of what the letter is for.

Browse other collections

Letters to him Letters to her To husband To wife Long-distance Secret Goodbye How to write Occasions