It's not a craft, it's sincerity
Cels argues that an apology requires the the offender to say “I’m sorry,” and that without it, a social act simply cannot count as an official apology (353). She continues to say that
[i]f the apology does meet such requirements, it is usually evaluated positively, but such evaluations do not imply that the apology effectively achieves full reconciliation and generates mere positive reactions. It is widely acknowledged throughout the literature that many reconciliation processes are multifaceted and complex and that reconciliation requires much more than “just” one meaningful political apology. Other measures, such as the offering of compensation and a prolonged conversation about the harm, can be necessary (Cels 354).