Online: SWM SEEKS AND EDGE


Weíre not sure when online dating went from creepy to cutthroat, but those snarky ads posted by single hipsters are suddenly ubiquitous.

HOW TO COMPETE? Easy: a growing cottage industry wants to help you score. ìI canít tell you how many profiles I see saying, ëI am just as comfortable in a little black dress as I am in jeansí,î says Dave Evans, CEO of profiledoctor.com . For $35, heíll edit your ad. Be specific, he advises: ìAre you an Escalade-driving Bushie or a Jetta-driving ëgive ëem hell, Howardí kind of guy?î For $100, Evan Marc Katz of e-cyrano.com will write your profile for you (after he interviews you). ìItís more competitive than ever out there,î he says. Still, sounding clever is moot if your online photo says ìmutt.î Need a touch-up? SoulmatePics.com does photo sessions in 15 cities from $129. Beware: a great profile may lead to first-date overload. ìI wasnít getting enough hits,î says Susan Levine, 49, of life before a $125 photo session with SingleShots.com. ìNow Iím always dating. Thatís the problem.î