So, if you read the last newsletter about starting online dating and followed my lead, by now you have researched and found a couple websites that appeal to you, created a profile, and even planned a couple of dates, right? If you haven't ventured out into the online scene yet, get out there! As I said in the last newsletter, there are many possibilities out there for you to take advantage of, but you need to make the first step.

Since some of you may not have made the move to online dating, I wanted to follow up with a second newsletter that further discusses the online world, and give a couple more tips on how to attract the person you want.

The first thing you come to when you are looking into online dating sites is "the profile". This step is made up of a set of questions, some are multiple-choice, fact-based questions while others are more detailed and require you to write out your response. These are the questions are obviously very important to the whole process. You are, in essence, creating your own advertisement, and it needs to jump off the page in order to make an impression. Don't write what you think someone wants to hear, write about who you are. I've been on so many Internet dates where 20 minutes into the conversation I realize that my date wasn't honest in his profile and no matter how nice and funny he is I'm surely not going to continue to date someone who lied to me from the start.

How do you write a good profile? Tell the truth. If the last book you read was a children's book you read to your nephew, write it down. You may get to these more detailed questions and just give up thinking that one to two word answers are sufficient. It all depends on whether or not you are truly representing yourself. Try a test search online for someone for you, and look at their profiles. Are the matches you like more detailed or succinct in their responses? What you are attracted to throws a mirror right back at you.

The second part of the online dating puzzle that is really important is the photo. You need one. You are MUCH more likely for someone to click on your profile for more information if you have a photo posted. While each site has their own guidelines for posting photos, I have a couple I need to share:

1. Do not; I repeat, DO NOT, use a photo of yourself where it is quite obvious that your ex was cut out from the side of the photo. We all know why there is a scissor line next to you in the picture. Take another picture. It's not that hard.

2. Use a recent photo. Again, you need to represent the real you, the way you are NOW. If you have a cropped haircut in the online photo and in real life you hair flows down your back, it's time to get a new photo.

3. And, I can't stress this enough, be yourself.

As an aside, no matter how great you think someone looks on the site, don't expect him or her to look exactly like the photo on their profile. So don't go on looks alone when choosing someone to chase after. You need to have something to talk about on that date when their hair or eyes aren't exactly what you expected.

So, that's about all I have (for now) on the online dating front. Make sure you check out our new online dating site at Luvessentials Dating. Good luck!