I'm from the school of thought that guys need to be attracted to women first so I wait for them to contact me. if they are interested they will and they totally have in the past. it works for me.

personally, I don't like to waste a lot of my time with the back and forth with emails. some people are so funny online and total duds in person and vice versa. I meet them fairly soon because really the attraction should be in person. too many guys want to string girls along online and I don't like to be toyed with.

I set up a public place to meet for a drink. I email a friend and let them know the location and any info I have on the guy (usually a first name, a screen nameand website, and their cell number.

I tell my date that I'm meeting them for one drink and after an hour, either one of us can walk away, no hard feelings. seriously, I once sat for three hours and listened to a guy drone on about his father's death. really not appropriate first date discussion (not to the extent he took it) and I couldn't get a word in edge-wise. after that I realized my time is far too valuable. I've had dates that lasted for hours after the one hour check-in. I've had dates where we decided we weren't really that attracted to each other and left after an hour. I only wished I had figured this out much earlier in my dating career.

take any of my advice or leave it. that's just what works for me. good luck!