I'd say you did good for your first time doing it. With the third girl, you'd want to have more conversation before asking for a number or to grab coffee. You'll eventually be able to pick up on cues in your surroundings to keep conversations going. The important thing is to keep doing it. Don't even make getting a number a goal, just get comfortable talking to people.

Aim high.I don't consider myself a super attractive guy and when i started reading red pill and approaching i got a model's phone number that was looking for dick before getting married to a rich guy, didn't work out but that doesn't matter because I approached, i had not a clue of game, I just felt confident, was looking to penetrate a good looking woman and found a beauty. After that I thought that looks are decisive if you're either too attractive (easy lay) or too unattractive(no way in hell). Otherwise, be confident, learn to lead a conversation and go with the flow, even through her resistance and indifference you develop interest and also know when to back out, it is a skill you develop not a switch you turn on. Better to try and fail than to never try.

Pretty good, Young Jedi. You almost had the 3rd girl. I would have expanded on my knowledge of tattoos (if any), or got her to tell me about what it was like for her to get her first tattoo, whether or not she planned on getting any more, some of the common taboos associated with getting tattoos...Then once that convo ran its course, you could have asked what books she was interested in, shared what knowledge you had of her interests, or asked her to share hers...over a cup of coffee. Possibilities are endless when you snag their attention.

Well done. I think you got out at the right moment in the first conversation. You might have taken the second one further -perhaps asking her why she got a first tattoo and why that one. Would she get more? I would have talked a bit and found out if there was common ground.

Extend where there is really solid interest. Politely exit where interest is not strong.

Remember its a numbers game. You will talk to many women, chat up some who seem to have keen interest and enough common ground, ask out fewer still. of those some will flake, of the dates some will be rubbish, others promising and may lead to a relationship. All the conversations that go nowhere are not wasted. At the least they are experience. You may even meet them again when they are better disposed to you.

Day Bang........ well..... you know RooshV went mad right?

Man I loved the old school PUA stuff...... but sheesh the fraudsters and nutters in that field, holy crap.

Hey y’all, been making good progress since my last post. Continued losing weight(still ways to go to not be overweight) , been lifting 3x a week, joined social groups(kickball, community theatre as a set helper). Been talking to more people to work on my social skills. Stopped watching porn and playing games.

Great!

Stuff I’m still working on: Still no luck getting a job in my field. Think I might just go be a server for awhile until I can find an entry level position in my field. Still living with parents, won’t be able to financially move out for 18 more months if I get a minimum wage job so I can build up emergency fund.

That's rough, but keep working on it!

1st Approach: Said I like a girls shirt in passing, she wasn’t looking at me, glanced and made eye contact with me, then looked away after she realized I was talking to her. We were walking in opposite directions and I had no idea what I was doing, so I just kept walking. My question is how do you talk to women you see on the street? Do you just walk up to them and say how’s the weather?

Ok. This is honestly one of the hardest approaches. You need to establish that you are talking to her BEFORE you talk..... then say something.... And this is hard because she's walking. Def avoid "how's the weather" - she won't know you're chatting her up, so why should she talk to you? This only works unless you have massive physical presence or attraction in place already. It can be done, but I recommend against it for a beginner.

2nd Approach: In a bookstore, there were two girls browsing some books. Took a minute before I worked up the courage,

The problem here is that they'll be aware of you as a guy lurking, so the approach goes worse than if it's truly spontaneous, but good work on it anyway.

and then I walked up to them and asked if they had found anything interesting.

Look... you went up and talked to new girls, which is awesome. So 100% on that.

Being critical: you are sucking value. You are asking for something. So unless you are physically hot with a cocky smile, what's in this for her? It looks like you're asking her for something, rather than value offering.

We chatted about some old mini books they had, then I complimented the girl I was interested in dress.

Ok....

She kinda just froze and looked at me, and then smiled and said thanks. I wasn’t sure where to go from here, told them to have a good one and went back to browsing.

So this is the dilemma. The harder you go in with direct chatting up the harder it is and the faster you force her to choose...... but if you are chatting about books, she's thinking "oh, he wants to chat about books", then you switch to compliments and it's a big "what the fuck" for her.

Let me recommend a middle ground here:

Playful teasing. There is a deep art to this..... but imagine that as she reaches for a book you turn, look directly at her, and say with a cheeky grin ".... oh you shouldn't be reading THAT book".

What happens next depends massively on her reaction, you can't line this up, you have to wing it and keep both teasing her and playfully moving the interaction forward. "I've read it. It sucks" or "It's above your reading age" or.... there's a tonne of funny lines. A bit of back and forth if she's excited and having fun... then "oh wow, that's a really nice handbag you got there.... ". Or "oh wow... you've got really great eyes and ... and... yes... I knew it... an almost matching pair".

Basically you're making a teasing fun interaction and escalating the fun into sexuality.

How I think I could have done better: Maybe talk some more about books I’ve read lately,

fucking YAWN.

Did she get out of bed this morning hoping some guy would talk to her about a book he read recently?

honestly not sure how I could have saved this one. She seemed responsive but the friend seemed like I was a bother.

Yeah. This is transitioning from chit chat to chatting up. It's hard. You need to find your own approach and style here, but definitely don't hang around too long, you don't want a conversation to nothing.

You also want to start TOUCHING HER. This is scary and difficult, but a touch of her hand or arm will electrify her if you do it right.

3rd approach, most positive response and most attractive:I was browsing at the same bookstore, and this hottie was walking by and I said I like your tattoo.

Slightly direct.... like it..... but I'd rapidly follow up with WHAT you like about it.

She responded really positively. I asked if it was of a certain forest( it was some trees) and she said no it was her first tattoo. I then complemented a certain aspect of the tattoo, and she said thanks.

Ah...... nice nice.

Again, I wasn’t sure what to do next so I complimented her earrings, and she said thanks, smiled, and then walked away. Really beating myself up on this one since she seemed to actually respond well but I fumbled hard.

Yeah. Look, if things start well a great line is simply: "Hi, I am GetMoreBooks", and hold out your hand for a handshake. She then introduces herself or gets flustered and you tease her for being a social retard.

Where I could have improved: After the tattoo compliment I could have just asked for her number or if she was free to grab a cup of coffee.

Never go straight for number. The number is an afterthought, AFTER you arrange a future date.

"Hey... you're fun.... here's a crazy idea, are you free for coffee right now? If you don't like coffee we are getting a divorce"

Or..... "Hey... you're fun.... I like you. A bit. We should go out together sometime, see how much fun we can have".

You get an agreed date, and she's either into it or not...... if she's into it, you say "great.. tomorrow or something..... do you have a number? do you know what it is?"

Overall Self Analysis: Happy I approached despite how botched the attempts were.

Ok, honestly: if you're approaching girls you've got the hardest part down.

It seems like the only way I know how to show interest is to compliment them and then I don’t know what to do.

ONE compliment. Add teasing. Escalate with name swap. Build more and deeper connection with statements, the OCCASIONAL question (but guessing is better), lead the interaction. It takes practice, but you can mix and match from 20 or 30 lines/themes that you need to develop for yourself with your style.

I'm playful and edgy and this honestly freaks most girls out.... that's fine, that's me..... you need to find you.

I think I’ll keep working on talking to strangers and having conversations with them.

good!!!

No..... this is REALLY good.

How do I show interest besides complimenting them?

You don't need to show more interest than this, you need to establish connection through swapping information, vibes, feelings, teases, etc.

I think maybe I could ask them how their day is going?

BORING

Also, is it normal to feel weird both before and after approaching?

YES

I felt like I was out of place/shouldn't be trying. Any feedback appreciated.

Yeh, totally normal, you're doing something that's kinda hard and kinda frowned upon by our dumb society.

Battle through it, it gets easier.