Account for the relationship as it is now
Use a tone that fits the present relationship, not the closeness, authority, or access that existed in the past. For a message about how to tell clients your freelance rates increased, use this factual base: identify the brief, deliverable, rights, fee, revision history, and contract term that applies.
Ask without assigning an obligation
Explain what you hope for while making decline, delay, or a different format genuinely acceptable. State what you can deliver next, what approval or payment is required, and when the offer expires. Make the immediate next step clear enough that the recipient can answer without reconstructing the entire history.
Keep the ending honest
Do not release rights or final files beyond the agreement, and do not shame a client publicly. Use platform support, legal advice, or a formal takedown process for fraud, infringement, threats, or identity misuse. Avoid future promises, guilt, flattery, or nostalgia that imply the recipient owes you access.