So.. I can generally approach a girl and start a conversation. No problems there. (usually)

but..

a lot of times the conversation dies off quickly, and suddenly. How do you handle stops in conversations? To keep things from getting awkward without just saying goodbye and walking away?

Any advice?

Focus on building attraction If she gets attracted to you, she won't let the conversation die.

Build initial attraction by sharing DHV stories. If ever you run out of things to say, take the opportunity to go to the next step.

For example:
1. You open. You ask an opinion question. She answers, but after a few exchanged sentences, you have nothing else to say on the opener. Move to building attraction.

2. You've told a couple DHV stories and she is still into talking and being with you. Hopefully, by now, she has given you IOIs that tell you she is attracted to you. Move on to DQing her.

3. You've DQed her and she is qualifying herself. Take it to the next step.

It's that simple. If you have said all you can, it indicates you need to move to the next step, or find more to talk about. I would more often choose stepping up because with any experience, you have more than enough stuff to talk about.

I have always been a fan of putting the pressure on them to say something. AFC Adam recommends the same. So if there is a silence, you could say something like "so, are you always this talkative?" Or you can be a little more direct. You could say, "tell me 3 things no one knows about you" or "if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go...but you have to tell me why". They all put the pressure back on them and should increase rapport.