What To Say?
The biggest secret about knowing what to say, and when to say it is not worrying too much about it beforehand! If you prepare what you are going to say beyond the first couple of lines, then what you have done is prepared a speech or a lecture, and that is exactly the way that it will come across.
Don't worry about it, try to be as natural as you can, and use these guidelines to help you along!
1. This person is not some monster! They are simply someone that may or may not turn out to be a friend. You are just meeting new people. Think about this the very first time you write anything to them.
2. When you ask questions, try to make them questions that you really are interested in. If you have a genuine interest, that will come across to them, and in this way, it becomes much easier to keep everything rolling forward.
3. Be positive and allow your character to shine through, and make a real effort to add your own comments and thoughts in to the conversation. Again, look for any common ground on which you can usefully comment or ask questions that you know they will find interesting.
4. Compliments, as long as they are sincere, can work magic on people. Make people feel good about themselves when talking to you.
5. Remember the old chestnut that there are plenty of fish in the sea. Don't get too down or hard on yourself if it does not work out this time - there are plenty of others out there. Forget it and move on.
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