Waiting for a response to an email you sent can be agonizing - especially if you're lonely or feeling insecure. You wait, wait, check your inbox, wait, check your inbox, wait some more - repeat nine hundred times. Whoever said anticipation is sweet is full of it, because it's pure agony.

But what do you do when that much anticipated response never comes? Move on? Harass the person until they finally get freaked out and block you? Give up on love and join a convent?

Before you do anything as drastic as swearing celibacy, check out these expert tips for writing emails that'll stack the deck in your favor!



1. Thoroughly read profiles before making contact. Note, we said thoroughly ‒ don't just skim looking for hottie photos. If you read carefully, you'll know what the person is looking and whether you're a good fit, saving yourself a lot of time in the process. If you are compatible and decide to send a message, include a line that indicates you actually read the profile; people generally appreciate the effort, and will reciprocate.

2. Don't send a form letter as a first message. If you can't take the time to personalize a simple introductory message, why should anyone take the time to respond? Yes, it's hard to personalize each email - but you don't have to write a novel or explain the meaning of life…just a few original sentences will suffice! If you have a favorite quote or details about yourself you'd like to share, include them in a signature, which will appear at the bottom of every outgoing message.

3. Be honest! The Internet is a great place to fantasize about the person you want to be, but if you're talking to someone you plan on meeting face to face, honesty really is the best policy. This seems like a no brainer, but there are a lot of people out there who will show up for a date hoping the other person won't notice or care that they're not really a 19-year-old swimsuit model. Usually, this level of dishonesty is a total deal breaker, and not only will you have wasted their time and yours, your ego will earn a serious bruising.

4. Keep the first email short and sweet. Tell your prospective date about yourself and let them know you're interested - but get right to the point. I once had a guy go on and on about how his ex-wife is trying to take him to the cleaners. That's WAY too much information for a first email, and I didn't even want to finish reading the message, let alone respond to it!

5. Be original! Try not to make generic comments such as "you're hot" with no info about yourself, and no explanation as to why you think said person is hot. You'll need something more original to peak someone's interest. Show your personality a little - if you have a great sense of humor, use it!

6. Don't abbreviate too many words. An abbreviation here and there is okay, but if a person needs a decoder ring to figure out what you're trying to say, you're probably destined for delete button. Something like "u are so hot!" or "I would luv 2 meet u!" is fine, but if the entire email reads like a text message composed by your 13-year-old niece, you're just going to annoy ppl. OMG LOL!

7. Sell yourself without sounding like your own biggest fan. Yes, you're pretty awesome and you want people to know that. But if you're writing an extensive tribute to the miraculous wonder that is your fabulous self, you're going to look self-centered. If you're a successful lawyer with a great lifestyle, say so - but don't brag about how you were first in your class at Harvard, and how your new your Mercedes is a chick magnet. Remember, you want to engage people with your message, not make them roll their eyes.

8. Use the right pictures! People like to know whom they're talking to. Even if you're not into showing your face, attach some photos of your best features, like your torso, legs or even just your eyes. And photos of you DOING stuff are even better. One of the best emails I ever got was from a guy who told me about his hobbies, and included pictures of himself actually doing the things he talked about - water skiing, etc. I responded to him immediately because that made him stand out, and to this day we still hang out from time to time.

9. End with a question. Ending an email abruptly with something like "write back if you're interested" isn't engaging. Asking questions will prompt people to respond. If a girl's profile says she's into hiking, write something like "I like hiking too! What are you favorite trails?" Easy, right?

Now take this advice and go find your soul mate for cryin' out loud!