Know What to Write (and Not to Write) in Your Profile

Ok, the hardest part of all this online dating biz - writing about yourself. Here are some guidelines to help you through it. Try not to be negative or pessimistic in your profile. A first impression is a lasting one. Men bashing to your girlfriends (or vice versa) is fine, but don't do it to your prospective dates! They don't want to hear it, and it might scare them away! Instead of using that space to complain about how lonely and sick of being hurt you are, use it to highlight your positive attributes. Think about what sets you apart from everyone else. What are your strengths and accomplishments? Letting people know why they should date you works a lot better than giving them reasons not to! Another thing to remember is honesty. Getting trashed every night in the company of others is not really the same as "drinking socially." If you can't stand sports, don't say you love them just to grab a guy's attention. You don't want any surprises down the road. And you wouldn't want to be led to believe something that wasn't true, either! Also, let's not be too specific. You may not be able to find a redhead who is 5'3", 119 lbs, loves to fish and gamble, doesn't smoke, drinks socially, cooks nightly ... well, you get the picture. Being that specific might scare off a potential date. Ease up a little!

If you are having a severe case of writer's block, and none of this has helped you, here are a few questions to get your gears turning. What makes you tick? What are your hobbies? If you had an extra day off, how would you spend it? If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? That should be enough to get you started. Now get to work!