The Art of Asking

Name: The Art of Asking
ISBN: 9781455581078

by Amanda Palmer, Brené Brown · first published 2014

10mentions

6recommended by

9HN commenters

2014–2026first – last mentioned

67% recommend33% neutral

Why HN recommends it

A memoir-style look at crowdfunding, asking for help, and building a creative career. Its story offers useful lessons for freelancers and creative people, and its engaging, personal tone keeps it readable.

Summarised by Claude from recommending comments

Biography & Memoir

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View on Open Library ISBN 9781455581078

Mentions per year

What Hacker News says

thirdtruck · Dec 11, 2014 · Recommends

I only just finished Amanda Palmer's "The Art of Asking" (read by the author), but I already find it invaluable. If you're an aspiring freelancer or working on creative projects of your own, in particular, then her story has a lot for you.
on “Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2014?” ↗
miraj · Jul 29, 2016 · Recommends

Here are some recent reads by female authors that I enjoyed: - "All the Birds in the Sky"(1) by Charlie Jane Anders - "The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help"(2) by Amanda Palmer - Graphic novels by Rutu Modan(3) - "The Kindness of Enemies"(4) by Leila Aboulela 1. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25372801-all-the-birds-i...…
rpastuszak · Oct 30, 2022 · Recommends

This reminds me of Amanda Palmer’s The Art of Asking. I think some of her experiences might resonate with you. Check it out if you haven’t!
on “How I make a living working on SerenityOS” ↗
zz1 · Dec 8, 2014 · Recommends

The Art of Asking, by Amanda Palmer http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20980987-the-art-of-askin...
on “Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2014?” ↗
geargrinder · Aug 9, 2015 · Recommends

For anyone looking to monetize a project like this, and avoid all the crass and imposing advertisements the OP rightfully complains about, I highly recommend reading The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer.
on “The economics of a web-based book, year two” ↗
thenomad · Sep 6, 2015 · Recommends

The Art Of Asking by Amanda Palmer. More autobiography and less advice than I was expecting, but very interesting, and extremely engaging.
on “Ask HN: What books are you reading?” ↗
miraj · Dec 21, 2015 · Recommends

…look at things differently (from 2015 readings only): - In the Light of What We Know - The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers - Bathing the Lion - The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help - The Tears of Dark Water - God Is Dead - A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life - The Water Knife
on “Ask HN: What book that you read in 2015 significantly affected how you think?” ↗
petecooper · Dec 4, 2017 · Mentions

…How To Run A Drug Cartel" * Alan Watts - "The Way of Zen" * Richard Carlson - "Stop Thinking, Start Living" * Andrew Whitley - "Bread Matters: How and Why to Make Your Own" * Amanda Palmer - "The Art of Asking" I'm not a fast reader, and I do have a high hit rate for HN recommendations, so thanks very much if you've mentioned something this year and I've read it. It's appreciated. [1] https://www.gatesnotes.com/About-Bill-Gates/Best-Books-2017…
on “Ask HN: Notable books you read this year” ↗
Kluny · Dec 4, 2017 · Mentions

Negotiating the Non-Negotiable, Dan Shapiro Works Well With Others, Ross McCammon The Art of Asking, Amanda Palmer The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman Boss Life: Surviving My Own Small Business, Paul Downs I've been working on my "soft skills".
raincole · Jan 10, 2026 · Mentions

The article reminds me of The Art of Asking. If you never heard of it, it's a TED talk where a musician/singer shared how much favors she received from fans (without expectations of returning them.) Years later the said musician, Amanda Palmer,…
on “How Will the Miracle Happen Today?” ↗