Have someone take you fresh pictures because that way you will offer one of the most important things people look for when surfing for a mate on the Internet: honesty. Can you imagine e-mailing someone and then seeing he or she is quite different (than who you thought you met) when you start chatting with a web cam? If you fake who you are on your personal, you are out of the game as soon as you kick off.
How many pictures should you place of yourself? For a good personal, you need at least three: The first one should be a good photograph of your face, the second one should be full-body and the third, fourth and fifth ones in more natural environments like at home or in the street.
But you need them with a natural smile, not with the tension people usually feel (and show) when they are standing up in front of a camera.
So, forget that you want to publish it on an online personal and go for a walk, visit a gallery or do some relaxing or interesting things. Talk with your photographer (or the friend who is going to take your personal's pictures) and let him/her guide you and help you relax. Don't worry, nowadays we have digital cameras, and you do not need to spend a fortune in film to get a good photograph.
If you need to use some software to tune your pictures up, do it. But don't try to change who you are with it. That is, if your eyes are brown, leave them brown.
Now let's talk about the written part, OK? We’ll make it easy.
Start with a greeting. If you read a number of personals before trying to write yours, you may have noticed the ones that started with simple words like "Hello" or "Hi" feel strongly more personal, intimate and inviting. Therefore, you naturally give them a person-to-person treatment instead of a résumé-after-résumé after reading those words, too. Take this hidden treasure for yourself and you will appear as a more interesting prospect.
Talk honestly about yourself. Come on... Do you really think you will be able to fool someone for a long time? If you lie or bend the truth, you will just lose time (and your readers' one). It is better to write as you are, being yourself, writing like you talk. Remember you do not need to attract the woman with the most beautiful silhouette or the most pumped-up guy (necessarily). You need to attract, above all, a good human being with whom you can probably plan a life together in the future (if that is your objective when dating, of course).
Watch your spelling! Be careful with your grammar and spelling, even in the SMS format. An error in your writing is a turn-off for almost everybody.
Let your uniqueness flow. You have special things that make you unique around the world. Use them. Let them be the ones that lead some prospects in! Like in your photograph, place the lights over your strong points without exaggerations and conceal your weak ones intelligently.
And add some garnishes to the cocktail. Include something funny, something sexy, something individual in your personal, or the three of them. Just be discreet. Have him or her read between the lines. This will make him or her feel curious. Leave something for the mailing part. Your personal is for making the fish bite... You can take care of cleaning it later.