It's official: There is no longer a stigma associated with Internet dating. It's true. We promise. Nearly 50 million Americans have tried it. That means roughly half of the single adult population has filled out an online dating profile or has at least browsed a few personal ads, just to see who's out there. Quickly disappearing are the days of awkward setups and random encounters. Today's singles simply post a profile on a handful of dating websites, then sit back and wait for the dates to roll in. Well, that's the idea anyway. The reality is that most people slap together vague and uninspired dating profiles and quickly become disillusioned when "the one" doesn't respond the next day. In I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M BUYING THIS BOOK, Internet dating expert Evan Marc Katz, a former MatchNet consultant and avowed online dater, demystifies the world of Internet dating. He offers practical advice on choosing the right dating website, writing eye-catching profiles, striking up that first email "conversation," turning a first date into a second, and much more. Equal parts how-to guide and inspirational pep talk, I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M BUYING THIS BOOK is like having a chat with a good friend, in this case, a hysterically funny, insightful friend who tells it like it is while remaining cheerfully optimistic about the universal quest for love. Whether you're an online dating junkie or a complete newcomer, an enthusiastic twentysomething or a been-there-done-that divorcée, this irreverent and intelligent guide will teach even the most jaded single how to master the dating game and find true love online.
Billed as a "personal trainer for smart, strong, successful women," dating coach Evan Marc Katz has been helping singles find love since 2003. Dozens of his clients have gotten married, started families, and found happiness - after only a few months of phone coaching.
It's an unlikely career for a man - much less a man who was called a "serial dater" by CNN - yet that's what makes Katz such a unique coach.
By helping women understand men - what they think, how they act, and what they really want - he empowers them to make healthy, informed choices in love. Katz likens his 12-week Commitment Course to a Masters Degree in Men, and the metaphor is apt. His clients invariably find their education about men lessens their frustration and increases their likelihood of attracting a like-minded long-term partner.
Katz started his career in customer care at JDate, during which he wrote his first book, "I Can't Believe I'm Buying This Book: A Commonsense Guide to Successful Internet Dating" (Ten Speed Press, 2004). Its release coincided with the online dating boom, and soon, Katz found himself in high demand, with features in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, and Time Magazine.
His follow-up venture, E-Cyrano, was the first company that wrote online dating profiles for thousands of frustrated singles. Quickly, Katz realized that people needed support in all aspects of dating, and expanded his suite of services into dating coaching...even though he'd never had a relationship longer than 8 months.
The irony didn't escape him, and Katz gave his blog the tagline: "Because Who Knows More About Dating than a Guy Who's Still Dating?" The blog soon became the centerpiece of his site, with Katz answering hundreds of reader questions with logic, wit and empathy, like the unlikely spawn of Dr. Drew, Adam Carolla and Dear Abby.
But like many experts who say one thing and do another, Katz began to notice his own hypocrisy. His second book, "Why You're Still Single - Things Your Friends Would Tell You If You Promised Not to Get Mad" (Plume, 2006), was a critical success, yet the dating coach was ignoring the very same advice that was leading his clients to love.
It wasn't until Katz took his own wisdom that he met his future wife - and became a much better dating coach in the process. By opening up to a new kind of partner, Katz proved that to get different results in love, you have to make different choices. He's very glad he did.
These days, Katz works primarily with the clients with whom he most identifies - smart, strong, successful women who have everything... except a lasting relationship. With an array of products, group coaching, and one-on-one coaching, Katz offers something for every single woman who wants to get better results in her love life.
Evan Marc Katz is married and lives in Los Angeles with his incredibly cool, incredibly patient, incredibly beautiful wife.
