Asking for assistance isn’t always easy, especially for people who pride themselves on being self-sufficient. Whether you’re trying to get a crew together for a beach sweep, inviting people to a pot-luck shindig, or just asking your parents for some money, sometimes you’ve got to do some serious talking-up of the importance of things. The Girl Scouts have their cookies. PBS sends you DVDs and soundtracks to their special shows. What can YOU do that will make people want to help you out?

Requests for assistance can be done safely over the phone if you’re comfortable with it and know what you need to say; but if you’re unsure, a fundraising letter is an excellent way to organize your thoughts and persuade your readers that you could really use their help... and it won’t go to waste.