I've always wondered how to properly text. I mean are there certain things to keep in mind?

maybe I over think things when it comes to texting but depending on the girl or the situation I often wonder, when is it appropriate to put a smilie? when is appropriate to use a pet name and how often? and when to text back right away or when to give it a few minutes before replying.

I may be over thinking but I feel like certain things you do and how you text can affect the way someone thinks of you.

any advice on texting in general is appreciated, I'm interested to hear different people's theories.

There is a thread dedicated to text game in another forum iirc.

I wouldn't consider myself to have great "text game" and I don't overthink things too much which I think you're doing by the sounds of it. I follow a few rules.

1) I'm never needy and I don't reply immediately, I sometimes take hours or even the next day. This isn't even a deliberate thing all the time either, I generally have better things to do than constantly text a girl and wait for her reply. My replies are generally shorter than hers, but not all the time.

2) I'm always enthusiastic and positive. If she asks "How was your day?" I never, ever reply negatively with "Oh, it sucked, work was terrible..." etc. I'm always upbeat without being OTT of course.

3) I never prolong the text conversation. If she sends a text that doesn't easily warrant a reply, then I just leave it and maybe initiate a day or two later. Also, if we're texting a lot I'll always finish it with a closed text that doesn't easily give her something to reply to and even if she continues to text I'll leave it for that day at least.

4) Generally I text to sort out a next meeting or date, rather than for really long conversations, at least initially. I keep fluff talk to a minimum and try not to be boring.

That's about it really. These are just rules that I follow however, rather than anything written in stone by a mPUA or anything, it's something I came up with myself that seems logical.

If anyone wants to suggest more rules for me or would recommend a change then I'm totally eager to learn.

Every single text conversation is going to be different, so it's difficult to say when to smile or not to, and things like that.

10 Rules of thumb:
1) Never overuse the smileys.
2) Match her response speed. If she takes a minute to respond, you don't have to play too many games. Respond accordingly. Now, if she takes an hour to respond, you shouldn't be texting back right away. In theory, you're a "busy" person who has a lot of things to do, so you don't need to rush anything .
3) Do not let her finish conversations. If you guys have talked for a bit and you feel it's time to drop the conversation just wait for a message that doesn't require and answer and stop texting.
4) Good texting hours are from 6-9 pm (or whatever equivalent system you have in Europe - 18-21 hours). This rule is essentially important when you're getting to know someone (initial conversations).
5) Do not be too sexual too quick. Remember, you're a confident person, so nothing needs to be rushed (initially lol).
6) If she drops the conversation first, never confront her about it the next time you guys talk. It looks needy.
7) Initially, you shouldn't text her every day. It goes back to the concept of "having a busy life".
Do not base all your conversations on text messages. Mix it up and call her too.
9) Ask for pictures. I know many people may disagree, but if you feel the vibe is good, ask her to be spontaneous and take a picture of her at the moment. If done correctly, it helps build the interaction.
10) A text message conversation is not a job interview. If she's asking too many questions call her out on it. It should be about having fun, and getting to know things about each other without relying to conventional methods. This is a thread on itself, so I'll let you figure it out .

Hope it helps and good luck.

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thanks for the advice it helps! I've put into practice some of the things mentioned already, but some are new to me.

also I figured there may be a thread similar to this somewhere, however I couldn't really find it. sorry. can someone point me in the right direction?