Writing a Dating Profile: |
So you've found a hot new online dating site and decided to sign up and give it a try... But first you have to register. Let's see ... Am I a man or woman? Am I looking for a man or a woman ... that's easy! You're off to a good start. Height ... weight ... smoking ... drinking ...you go breezing through several pages of checkboxes. Then there it is - clicking through to the last registration page puts you face-to-face with the infamous dating site essay question ... The Dating Profile. Yes, the profile - the dating service equivalent of the job interview's dreaded "Tell me about yourself". You stop and stare blankly at the screen, heart pounding, palms sweating, pondering the implications. After all, this is your first impression. This is what separates the winners from the losers. The cool from the dorks. The potentially-datable from the terminally-dateless. You struggle to write an opening sentence ...only to delete it and start over. Write, delete, repeat. Twenty minutes later in total frustration, you save your partial profile, promising to come back to it "later". But Saturday night rolls around and once again there you are - at home, wiith a jumbo bag of chips and a rented DVD. Alone. Again. Fear not! Here are some tips to help you get over dating profile writer's cramp and conquer this dating site hurdle. 1. DO Be truthful - People are often a little nervous about dating online. While most people you'll meet are perfectly normal, the internet is a big place and there are some really bad apples out there too. Most people are aware of this, and being caught in even a small lie can flag you as one of THEM. At best you will have a lot of explaining to do, at worst you can kiss your chances for a lasting relationship with Mr/Ms Right goodbye. 2. Don't state the obvious, instead of using adjectives (funny, honest) to describe yourself, write something that demonstrates you have those qualities. If you're funny, write something funny. If you're quirky, write something quirky. Please don't say "I'm exciting and spontaneous" - instead write about something you've done that shows how exciting and spontaneous you are! 3. DO Write for your audience - Think of the type of person you want to attract and write accordingly. Don't write sentences full of multi-syllable, intellectual language and literary references if you're looking for an Average Jane or Joe to share beer, pizza, bowling and adventure movies with you ... and vice versa! If you want to take things slow, it would be misleading to include a lot of sexual inuendo in your profile. 4. Don't be negative. Negative people use their entire 1000 word profile telling prospective dates what they don't want. "If you're not a liar or a cheat or a slob you can contact me" - gee, how inviting (not)! It's a turn-off - and a little intimidating! Instead, tell people what you like and what you DO want. 5. DO talk about your interests and values. If these things are an important part of your life, by all means write about them - in detail. Why are they important? Be descriptive, write how these things make you feel. 6. DON'T use a lot if sentences starting with "I" and "me". Imaginine the person you want to meet is sitting across from you on a first date - what would you say to them? Talk about your goals, your achievments, your dreams. 6. DO write something, even if it isn't perfect. You can come back and revise it as often as you like. Sometimes the best cure for writer's cramp is ... writing! 7. If all else fails, get help! There are professional
writing services that specialize in writing dating profiles. ProfileHelper.com , If you have a profile you like but could use some professional tips on improving it, ProfileHelper.com offers that service too. |
