How to get over the first step to write a letter?

The first step in writing is to get over the guilt of not writing. You don’ t "owe" anybody a letter. Letters are a gift. The burning shame you feel when you see unanswered mail makes it harder to pick up a pen and makes for a cheerless letter when you finally do. Skip sentences like "l feel bad about not writing, but I’ ve been so busy, "etc.. A few letters are obligatory, and they are "Thanks for the wonderful gift" and "You welcome your friends to stay with me." and not many more than that. Write those promptly if you want to keep your friends. Don’ t worry about others, except love letters, of course when your true love writes "Dear light of my life, joy of my heart, some response is called for."
   Keep your writing stuff and in one place where you can sit down for a few minutes. For example, keep envelopes, stamps, an address book, everything in a drawer so you can write fast when the mood strikes you.
   Sit down for a few minutes with the blank sheet in front of you, and meditate on the person you will write to. Let your friend come to mind until you can almost see her or him in the room with you. Remember the last time you saw each other and how your friend looked and what you said and what perhaps was unsaid between you. And when your friend becomes real to you, start to write.
   Write the salutation--Dear You--and take a deep breath and plunge in. A simple declarative sentence will do, followed by another and another and another. Tell us what you’ re doing and tell it like you were talking to us. Don’ t think about grammar, don’ t think about style, don’ t try to write dramatically, just give us your news. Where did you go, who did you see, what did they say, what do you think.