The Silverback's Guide · Arena Six
Dating Advice for Men
Dating advice for men that treats pickup lines as comedy, not strategy: know thyself, the approach, first dates, consent, the ex files, single dads, online dating and the older Silverback. From The Silverback's Guide series.
Dating can turn an otherwise capable bloke into a malfunctioning self-checkout. The Silverback's Guide to Dating is an adult guide for blokes starting out or starting again, including single dads and older Silverbacks with awkward knees and a phone full of conversations that never became coffee. Take an honest look in the mirror, make a respectful invitation and have the steadiness to hear the answer. It covers first-date plans, consent and sexual health, apps and relationship scams, exes, children and dating later in life, with sourced Australian guidance in the FACT panels.
Twelve chapters, fifty gloriously bad pickup lines rated for the joke, not the woman, and ten conversations worth having. The rule underneath the jokes is plain: a respectful no is a completed conversation, not a failed sales pitch.
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10
books in Series 1: the manifesto and nine companion volumes
The Silverback collection
90
principles to practise, ten for each arena
Expanded Manifesto, ch. 21
49,158
divorces granted in Australia in 2025
ABS, cited in Divorce, ch. 1
$2.18bn
reported scam losses in Australia in 2025
National Anti-Scam Centre, cited in Spotting a Con, ch. 3
Figures from the books’ FACT panels, with the source named. Dated population figures, not the odds for your life. The useful part is what you do on an ordinary Tuesday.
What dating advice for men should actually cover
What is inside The Silverback's Guide to Dating.
01
Know thyself: an honest personal audit before you ask anyone out
02
Reading the room, making a clear invitation and taking a no cleanly
03
The first date, consent and sexual health, and online dating with an eye out for scams
04
The ex files, single dad dating, dating single mums and dating for old Silverbacks
Arena 6 · The field manual
The Silverback's Guide to Dating
Some courage. Some decency. Your self-respect intact.
Know thyself. Read the room. The approach, the first date, the ex files, single dads, single mums, online dating and the older Silverback. Twelve chapters and fifty gloriously bad pickup lines.
Instant PDF · Stripe checkout · Australia-made
The Nine Arenas
The other eight arenas
Each arena has its own laws, opponents and terrain, so each has its own book.
01
Being a Man
Character, purpose and the daily work of becoming dependable, including asking for help.
The field manual →
02
Money
Habits, risk and financial decisions, from the bottom of the world.
The field manual →
03
Selling
Listening, explaining value and following through. Remember the person across the table.
The field manual →
04
Conflict
Difficult conversations, composure and repair, without demanding the last word.
The field manual →
05
Bullies
From the sandpit to the nursing home. Strength without becoming another bully.
The field manual →
06
Dating
Honesty, curiosity, consent and rejection. Meet people without an exhausting performance.
The field manual →
07
Divorce
Separation, children and rebuilding. Keep your head and protect what matters.
The field manual →
08
Leadership
Decisions, responsibility and listening. The standard others experience.
The field manual →
09
Spotting a Con
Pressure, flattery and missing information. Pause before committing.
The field manual →
All 9
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- ✓ The Silverback's Guide to Selling
- ✓ The Silverback's Guide to Conflict
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- ✓ The Silverback's Guide to Dating
- ✓ The Silverback's Guide to Divorce
- ✓ The Silverback's Guide to Leadership
- ✓ The Silverback's Guide to Spotting a Con
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