How I handled a reference letter writer who initially declined, then reconsidered

Had someone I approached for a reference letter initially decline, citing being too busy, and I want to share what happened next, since I initially assumed that was a final no and almost didn't follow up at all. I sent one polite, low-pressure follow-up a few weeks later, making clear there was no obligation and offering a much more streamlined version of the ask (a shorter, more targeted request than my original one) in case time was the real constraint. They reconsidered and ultimately wrote a genuinely strong letter, once the ask felt more manageable. I wouldn't push hard on someone who's genuinely declined, but a single, respectful, lower-pressure follow-up — especially if you can make the ask itself easier — sometimes gets a different answer than the first, more demanding version of the request did. Worth trying once before assuming an initial decline is final.