I turned down a potential book deal

Why I said no when I was asked to write a book, and how this decision has started to pay off already. Also, what it's like to be a freelance journalist with young kids and important events to attend.

As a writer, the dream - well mine, and I think many other writers’ - is to have publishers coming to you, asking if you’d be up for writing an article or a book.

I remember the first time this happened with the Guardian. An editor, who is now a friend - but I didn’t know her back then - emailed asking if I’d write a piece for them.