For guys, Eric brings up a great point. NEVER join a site which is free for women. More than half on most sites aren't that serious about it to begin with, and that's when they are paying a monthly fee! When you're on any dating site, it's hard to meet someone when the ratios are so bad for a man, even if you are a good looking guy. I've been lucky meeting what I have met because I can write, and my pics are pretty solid.

Second, if you can't be smooth or original in your writing, don't bother signing up for anything other than eharmony- a site which sets up mutual matches/ selected one to one communications. On most sites the ratios are so bad that even a half-decent looking girl is made to be a Victoria's Secret model, and she'll probably have 75-150 e-mails in her inbox. The really hot ones will simply hide their profiles, and give me their e-mail address so we can communicate off of the site. Unless you've channeled Hemingway, or are clever and funny while not coming off as weird (yes, most of the best looking ones can be extremely judgmental), you aren't likely to get a response.

Ratios are bad online, etc. I once had a date on my arm walking in downtown La Jolla (when I lived in San Diego), and about 150 dudes were outside of this bar (Jack's now closed) oogling my date like she was the first woman they had ever seen. After the 50th dickhead approached one of the girl's in there, that wouldn't leave a guy with much of a chance, so I was glad I had a date that night.

You have to be creative and put yourself in situations where the ratios are actually to your advantage. If that means joining a yoga class, or taking a dancing or cooking class, swallow your pride, and ribbings from your guy friends- just do it.