Asking earlier is definitely better when possible. It's not always an option though; I know I take ages to figure out I like someone. (So if someone has good advice for this situation I could use it myself.)
The best advice I have is just to gradually flirt more. When it's really blatant on your end and moderately clear on theirs, then, mid-through-blatant-flirting, ask them out on an obvious date. Flirting is sort of like... plausible deniability for our own feelings so we can express them without as much emotional risk. And there's always an illusion of transparency, which is why you want to keep going until your side is very very obvious (because it's less obvious on the other end).
Not as much.
Asking earlier is definitely better when possible. It's not always an option though; I know I take ages to figure out I like someone. (So if someone has good advice for this situation I could use it myself.)
The best advice I have is just to gradually flirt more. When it's really blatant on your end and moderately clear on theirs, then, mid-through-blatant-flirting, ask them out on an obvious date. Flirting is sort of like... plausible deniability for our own feelings so we can express them without as much emotional risk. And there's always an illusion of transparency, which is why you want to keep going until your side is very very obvious (because it's less obvious on the other end).