So you've taken the plunge and signed up with an online dating service. And now you're staring at a blank screen and wondering what to say in your public profile. Take heart - The Love Site is here to help. Follow these tips and you should be able to craft a description that gets those responses flying in.

Do Your Prep

Generally speaking, it's best not to jump straight in and start writing until you have a clear idea what you're going to write about. Otherwise, your profile can easily become confused and hard to read, or you can find yourself getting stuck and frustrated after just a few words. So, before you get started, take a few moments to make some notes about what you plan to say. It'll make the process much easier.

Different dating services organise their profiles in different ways. Some simply give you a box to fill, while others ask you to answer specific questions in order to uncover the 'real you', so you'll need to adapt these guidelines to fit the profile you have to fill out. However, the general principles remain the same no matter which service you are using.

Analyse Yourself

Think about who you are, what you enjoy and what you want out of life. There are five main areas to consider: your physical appearance, your personality, your career, your interests and hobbies, and your goals. All these things are taken into account, to a greater or lesser extent, when we look for a partner.

In all likelihood, you will be asked to describe your physical characteristics using a system of check boxes or pull-down menus, so that your profile can be matched against searches on the site. Therefore, unless you have a particular reason for doing so, it's not really necessary to say any more about your appearance (particularly if you include a photo). What you need to concentrate on is the person you are inside.

Don't Give Them a Laundry List

Resist the temptation to describe yourself using a list of adjectives: funny, clever, kind, caring, etc. These words are easy to write, but they don't tell the reader anything meaningful about you. After all, anyone could claim to be sympathetic or hilarious, but that doesn't necessarily make it true, does it? People like to form their own opinions about others, and to do this they need to see the real you. So don't say that you're funny; show it by writing something amusing.

The same holds true for your job and your hobbies. You may like films or music, but so do most people, so simply listing 'films' or 'music' as interests won't grab anyone's attention. You need to go into detail. Similarly, a job title on its own means very little. In fact, people might stereotype you as a certain kind of person when the truth may be quite the opposite. If you refer to your job, talk about why you enjoy it and what you get out of it. If you don't like your job, it's probably better not to mention it at all at this stage.

The best way to show people who you really are is to talk about something that interests you. This doesn't mean writing a lecture (no-one wants to read that), but it does mean opening up and sharing what you find interesting in life and what you'd like to do in the future. Write about something exciting you've done, a place you enjoy visiting, a particular book that influenced you. Talk about your career plans. Tell a joke. Anything that allows people to see your personality.

Be Creative

Creativity is the key to attracting lots of responses. You need to make your profile stand out from the crowd; you need to make it so intriguing that the reader just has to get to know you better.

When you're writing, don't accept the first words that come to mind; unless you're a genius, they'll probably be the same old phrases people have read countless times before. Think of a way to put a unique spin on your description. Come up with an unusual or attention-grabbing headline. Try to make every line fresh and original. Tantalise the reader - make him or her want to know more.

Be Positive

It might sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people get this wrong. And frankly, pouring out your woes isn't the best way to persuade people that you're worth getting to know. Put yourself in your reader's shoes: they're looking for someone to bring them happiness, not someone who's going to bring them down, so don't dwell on the negative, no matter how difficult life may have been. There'll be time for intimate heart-to-hearts later. For now, concentrate on the good things about yourself.

Remember that your mood will show through in what you write, so if you're feeling angry or down, consider writing your profile another day, when things look brighter.

Don't Get Cocky

While it's important to be positive, you can overdo it. Arrogant or boastful profiles are just as unattractive as those that are full of woe. You need to find that middle ground - be upbeat but don't make your profile a love letter to yourself! This is another reason why you shouldn't use too many adjectives - it's almost impossible to do it without coming across as too self-involved (or too self-critical).

Think About the Person You Want to Attract

You may be asked to complete a section describing the kind of person you want to meet. If a partner really must meet certain requirements, because the alternative is objectionable to you, then you should state them. However, don't limit your options unnecessarily. Just because your dream man or woman has brown hair or blue eyes, don't let all those people with blonde hair or green eyes rules themselves out. They may be just the person you're looking for. Listing too many requirements can also make you appear picky.

Also, never say that you don't want to hear from a certain kind of person. It makes you look callous and will turn off the people you do want as well as those you don't. Make your requirements positive or don't mention them at all.

Be Honest

It might be tempting to embellish the truth in order to attract a mate. Don't do it! You will undoubtedly be found out, and you will have wasted your time and everybody else's. Not only is lying disrespectful to the other person, but it can hurt you too. Imagine that you meet the perfect partner and then lose them because of a stupid story. You also risk being blacklisted by the dating service.

Be honest. Don't try to fake it. It'll pay dividends in the long run.

Read It Back

Before posting your profile, read it through to make sure that it's the best it can be. Have you made any spelling errors or other mistakes? Is it clear? Does it make sense? Is it interesting?

Don't skip this step. It's very easy to make a mistake when typing, and a few minutes spent editing your profile could mean the difference between success or failure. Don't rush it; get it right.

Consider Posting a Photograph

This is a tough one for many people. Posting a photograph online can feel like you're throwing yourself to the wolves. However, it can really boost your chances of success. According to the dating sites, profiles with photos receive around 10 times as many replies as those without. Men are particularly attracted to profiles with photographs, but women prize them too - and many dating services list profiles with photos ahead of those without.

If you really don't feel confident enough to post a photograph for all to see, then don't worry. If you follow these tips, you'll still greatly improve your chances of success. But bear in mind that, once you start writing to someone, sooner or later they'll want to see what you look like. It's only natural.

More Advice

Hopefully these tips have given you enough information to write a winning profile and begin your online dating adventures. But if you'd like more advice about crafting your description and online dating in general, read some articles and Books About Dating and learn from the best advises.