Around the Word: (Belated) Valentine's Edition

Bringin’ Grammar Back. It’s time for the revenge of the grammar nerds! Proofreading company Kibin did a survey of 1,700 online daters and their feelings about grammar, and the answers might surprise you. Not only did 43 percent of respondents say that poor grammar is a “major turn-off,” but 35 percent said they find good grammar sexy. That’s a win for grammar lovers everywhere! And it’s not just Kibin. Match.com’s survey of 5,000 online singles found that when sizing up a potential date, both men and women ranked grammar as very important—right after teeth. So if “C U L8ter” is like nails on a chalkboard for you, take comfort in knowing that you’re not alone. Next up? "Grammar Is Sexy" t-shirts for all!

Ghostwriting Cupids. In honor of everyone’s favorite holiday for love, let's take a look at the softer side of ghostwriting. Dating consultants are getting into the e-dating business to help singles with everything from editing and writing their profiles to crafting the perfect flirtatious email. So far only 14 percent of online daters have someone proofread their profiles, but the “Cyrano for hire” business is taking off. Want to see a ghostwriting cupid at work? New York Magazine gave an inside look at one consultant’s handiwork. And perhaps as word spreads that grammar is sexy, more singles will seek out dating ghostwriters to avoid becoming Dating Profile Disasters fodder.

Dating by the Book. Most people know of the eHarmonys and Match.coms of the online dating world, but for those with a much more specific checklist for prospective partners, there's a vast subset of niche dating sites. For political junkies who don’t want to date across the aisle, there's love along party lines on redstatedate.com and bluestatedate.com. If computer choice is a deal-breaker, Cupidtino caters to those who only want to date Mac owners. So naturally book lovers have their own niche dating site: Alikewise. Started in 2008, the site matches users based on their taste in books, using an algorithm similar to Amazon’s. Interested in joining? Flavorwire has 25 Pickup Lines to Use on Alikewise to get you started.