12 Ways To Improve Your Love Life, According To Meg Cabot

    We asked Meg Cabot, author of the Princess Diaries series and other romance novels, for some love advice. Luckily, she delivered.

    by Alanna Bennett, Krystie Lee Yandoli, David Bertozzi
    David J. Bertozzi / BuzzFeed

    1. If you have a crush, do you make the first move or wait for them to do it?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "I recommend making the first move because that's always worked out for me. Don't do anything too overwhelming. Just be cool and ask them if they want to do something. Be specific about what it is you want to do with them instead of just asking if they want to hang out sometime. Be specific, and if they like you they'll say yes."

    2. What's a good first date activity?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "I always like to go to see a movie or go to a concert because it's pretty chill. You don't have to talk too much, but you can talk before or after the event. I usually try to stay away from eating food unless the other person suggests it."

    3. What's your first date philosophy?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "There are so many things you shouldn't do on a first date. Overall, you really want to just go with the flow. If things are going well, then just go with it and see what happens."

    4. How long is too long to spend analyzing a message from someone you like?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "I really have spent so long analyzing texts before. I'd say half an hour is the limit and then you need to stop, especially if you're talking about it with your friends and they tell you to stop. That's when you stop."

    5. What do you do if the person you like isn't texting you back?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "I recommend just chilling out. They're probably just a little bit busy. Don't inundate them with a ton of texts, just relax."

    6. What's the best way to break up with someone?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "Don't do it in writing. I'm a writer, so I know this; it's really horrible to put something in writing because they can hold onto it forever, and they may use it to blackmail you later on when you have become famous. Definitely break up in person. Do not do it by text. If you're really, really chicken just do it over the phone, but they could record it. Make it short and sweet. I know it's harder to do it in person, but it's the better choice. Do not leave any kind of written or recorded trail."

    7. What do you do if you fall for one of your friends?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "I think that if you have to immediately tell them. That's what I did, and then I ended up married for 22 years."

    8. What do you do if you fall for your friends' brother or sister, like Mia did?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "That is agonizing. I think you may not want to tell them; you really need to think about it because you could damage your relationship with your friend. But you have to see if the person reciprocates your feelings. If you get a vibe that they do, then you should go for it, 100%."

    9. How can you tell if someone's using you or is dating you for the wrong reasons?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "That can be hard, especially if you're really into that person. Hopefully your friends will tell you, even though you probably won't listen because you're so into that person, and it will take a long time. You might not even know until you walk in on that person with another person. Then you will have to think of a really good revenge, like writing a bestselling book about that person."

    10. Do you have any tips for long distance relationships?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "I think you just need to stay in touch. Write really long letters, I think that that's the best thing to do. I think talking on the phone is kind of agonizing. Texting and writing are really great, especially for an aspiring writer. And you should save all those letters, because maybe you can make a book out of them."

    11. How do you make a good impression when you meet people online?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "I think you should try to be honest; don't sugarcoat anything or make yourself look better than you are. Because eventually you are going to meet and you're going to have to be honest with the person, so really don't lie too much. Just really try to be yourself."

    12. How can you tell if you're actually in love?

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

    "The best way to tell if you're in love is if you get that fluttery feeling when you see the person. That's how I knew that I was in love with my husband; I got the fluttery feeling and was like, 'I can't believe this is happening.' I was so excited that I wanted to run away, but I also wanted to be with him all the time. I think that that's a good sign, if you just never want to be apart from the person but you also always want to be apart from the person because you're so nervous."

    Thanks for all the help, Meg!

    David Bertozzi / Krystie Yandoli / BuzzFeed

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