M4M: For an Hour or Forever--The Gay Man's Guide to Finding Love Online

Millions of gay men are searching for love. And the vast majority of them are now searching online. But while the Internet helps bring people together, its anonymity, lack of rules, and easy stage for false advertising often result in disappointing matches. But the right guy is out there. Chances are good that every gay man could find exactly what he's looking for online . . . if he only knew where and how to look.

In "M4M," Jack Mauro offers candid, witty advice on every aspect of the gay online-dating arena — how to (and how not to) compose a successful profile, what kind of photo to use ("normal," naked, and everything in between), the art of instant messaging (from the basics to advanced seduction), "straight" men in gay chats, navigating the usual suspects found in seemingly every chat room, taking it offline, and much, much more.

Whether the goal is a quick fling or a lifelong partnership, "M4M" gives both the frustrated online veteran and the curious newbie everything they need to know to get them away from the keyboard and into a satisfying real-life connection.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

THE BASICS

• What You're After
• Your Online Identity
• Your Online Profile
• Your Pictures Online: The Good, The Bad . . .
• . . . And the Naked

IN ACTION

• The Chat Room: The (Virtual) Company You Keep
• The Usual Suspects: Chat Room Regulars
• Instant Messaging: Thinking Inside the Box
• Dos, Don'ts, and More Don'ts
• IM Role-Playing: The New — and Already Lost — Art
• When You're Dumped from an IM . . . Relationship

GETTING SERIOUS: THE PERSONAL ADS

• Before You Place One . . .
• The Sites
• You Call This a Résumé?: Putting Your Ad Together
• Responses, Rejections, Revisions, Results

BEYOND ONLINE

• Phone Sex: The Calls of the Wild

LIGHTS, WEBCAM, ACTION

• The Hookup: Let's Be Real — Prostitutes Call Them "Dates" Too
• Stood Up by the Hookup: Dealing with the Man Who Got Away

OTHER ISSUES, OTHER ANSWERS

• A Look at the Online Bisexual Man
• Porn Sites, Dating Sites, and Your Credit Card
• Staying Connected
• Tech Terms and Chat Slang
• The Best Online Gay Resources