Perfect personals n 8 easy steps

Alan Goldsher, Match

You thought it would be simple to create your free profile. After all, it's just talking about yourself, right? And everyone loves to talk about themselves...

So go ahead. Give it a shot. But, well...It's not as easy as you thought, is it?

Don't worry: Meeting your matches doesn't have to be difficult, at least not with these eight tips to perk up your profile (and hopefully get you more responses)!

1. Come up with a compelling username  Many singles just put a spin on their real names — "Andre_The_Giant" or "Dave1976." And there's nothing wrong with that — except it's kind of dull. Try the original route instead: Imagine your username among a list of millions. If other singles saw nothing else but your username, what would be interesting enough about it to make them want to click? How about "Bedroom_Eyes," "2Good2BTrue" or "Sensuous_Single?"

2. Start with a headline that doesn't suck  How many of these have you seen?

Suck Headline #1: "I can't believe I'm doing this!"
Suck Headline #2: "I like potato chips."
Suck Headline #3: "Hello. Is this thing on?"
Suck Headline #4: "SWF ISO E/F SECURE SBM"
Suck Headline #5: "Just looking around..."

The time you invest to create an interesting headline can pay off big in more responses.

3. Prove your passion Good creative writing teachers always demand: "Don't tell me; show me!" So instead of just writing, "I'm funny," tell a joke. Instead of saying, "I'm romantic," write a sonnet. Instead of announcing, "I'm good-looking," post your photo.

4. Kill all cliches  Don't your eyes glaze over after you see the same thing over and over when you quick search? There are better ways to say, "I'm looking for Mr. Right" or "I'm a family man." Make your profile stand out from the rest by describing the type of guy who's Mr. Right for you. Set yourself apart by asserting the values that make you a family man.

5. Remember: Honesty really is the best policy …especially when it comes to describing how you look. Don't claim to be athletic if you haven't broken a sweat in years. "Average" means comparing yourself to the rest of the world — not just people you think are less attractive than you. Keep in mind: Create a free profile with a photo and receive up to eight times more responses!

6. Don't say "don't" Who wants to go out with someone who's negative about everything? "I don't like Indian food." "I don't watch television." "I don't have a job." Please, people: Accentuate the positive. How about describing what foods you do like? If you don't watch television, what else do you do with your leisure time? If you don't have a job, why? Turn a "don't" into a conversation point.

7. Think "Thesaurus" Instead of writing "happy," upgrade to "joyful" or "frisky." Instead of settling for "fun-loving," try "high-spirited." "Honest?" "Sincere" is better. Nobody seems willing to admit it, but a large vocabulary is a total turn-on.

8. Puh-lease... Proofread! You could have the hottest picture and the coolest profile, but if you describe yourself as a "beuty" or "verry approchible," you'll lose lots of potential suitors. (As far as I can tell, the most often misspelled word on Match is "rollerblading," a word generally butchered as r-o-l-l-e-r-b-l-a-d-d-i-n-g. Worried you've made the same mistake? Time to edit your profile!)
  With these eight tips, you can't go wrong. Create a free profile today! Still unsure about what to write? Search for local singles     and see what other hotties have to say!