5 Tips For Writing Personal Ads

As a writer myself, I know the perils of writers block. You sit in front of a blank screen not knowing what to write. You write something. You delete it. You write something else. You delete that too. It can be Hell even for the most experienced of writers so the prospect of writing a personal ad can be pretty daunting. Generally speaking, most people who are writing personal ads aren't professional writers so here are a few tips on how to overcome your initial fears and to write personal ads that will get you noticed.

1. All About You. The first thing you need to do is to describe yourself and don't skimp on details. Who are you? What are you about? What do you like doing? Describe your personality. Are you the life and soul of the party or the quiet one in the corner? The easiest way to approach this is to write down a list of buzz words - words that describe you. Once you've got them, put them together into a paragraph. Read it. Read it again. Is it selling you? More importantly, do you recognise yourself from the description?
2. Set The Goalposts. What is it you're wanting to achieve from your personal ad? It doesn't matter whether it's an online dating service or a personals section in the local paper, your expectations should be the same. Be clear with what you want to achieve. Remember that like attracts like so the clearer you are here, the better the chances of meeting an ideal date.
3. First Draft. OK so now you know who you are and what you want, let's put all of that together into one neat little bundle. Don't try to write in a style that plainly isn't you. Don't cram your ad with long words you don't understand (remember the episode of Friends where Joey discovers the Thesaurus feature on Chandlers laptop?). Clear, concise writing will get you a lot further. Keep it honest and truthful.
4. Add The X Factor. We've now got the outline so let's add that extra special ingredient to your personal ad. You. Walk away from your computer. Take a walk. Think about how to sell yourself in your personal ad. An old marketing quote I heard years ago which still sticks with me is "sell the sizzle, not the steak". Read other personal ads on online dating sites or in the personals section of your newspaper. See where they go wrong. See where they go right. Now let's add You.
5. Keep It Real. It's an old phrase but it's so true. Honesty is the best policy. If you're looking for a relationship on an online dating site or in the personals section, there's no point in starting that relationship based on a pack of lies. Be honest with yourself and your prospective date.