Always Take Notes

Publishing Industry

Local Journalism

Jack the Ripper

Women In History

Ireland's Mother and Baby Homes

Mill Media

The City Changes Its Face

Victimology

The Eleventh Hour

Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service For Children

Gender Identity Issues

Subscription Model

History Writing

Social History

Fatwa

Writing

Journalism

Booker Prize

Philippa Gregory

Reni Eddo-Lodge

Always Take Notes is a fortnightly podcast from London for and about writers and writing. Hosts Simon Akam and Rachel Lloyd speak to a diverse range of people in the industry on a variety of topics, from the mysteries of slush piles and per-word rates, to how data are changing the ways newspapers do business and how to pitch a book. patreon.com/alwaystakenotes

214 ratings

Publishes	Twice monthly	Episodes	275	Founded	9 years ago
Number of Listeners		Category	Arts

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Latest Episodes

Tom Rob Smith on his bestselling debut "Child 44", screenwriting for the BBC and FX, and taking a different approach in his new novel "Twenty Years Together"

Simon and Rachel speak with the novelist and screenwriter Tom Rob Smith. Tom wrote his first novel, "Child 44", about a serial killer in Soviet Russia, at the age of 26. After publication in 2008, the novel went on to sell over two million copies, wi... more

Yesterday • 1 hr 9 min

Siri Hustvedt talks about her marriage to the novelist Paul Auster - and writing about him after his death in “Ghost Stories”

Rachel and Simon speak with the novelist and essayist Siri Hustvedt. Born in Minnesota in 1955 to a Norwegian mother and American father, Siri grew up bilingual. On a family trip one summer, she read voraciously and decided she wanted to become a wri... more

23 Jun 2026 • 58 min • Most popular

John Lanchester on his novelistic portrayal of London on the brink of a financial crisis in "Capital" and intergenerational strife in his new book "Look What You Made Me Do"

Simon and Rachel speak with the novelist and journalist John Lanchester. John has written six works of fiction including "The Debt to Pleasure", "Capital" and "Fragrant Harbour" and four of non-fiction including "Whoops! Why Everyone Owes Everyone an... more

9 Jun 2026 • 1 hr 6 min

Kathryn Stockett on the success (and controversy) of "The Help" and taking 17 years to publish a follow-up novel, "The Calamity Club"

Rachel and Simon speak with the novelist Kathryn Stockett. Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Kathryn moved to New York after university and spent almost a decade working in magazine publishing and marketing. In 2001, reeling from the 9/11 atta... more

26 May 2026 • 1 hr 1 min • Popular

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Recent Guests

Siri Hustvedt

Novelist and essayist

Independent author and academic

Episode: Siri Hustvedt talks about her marriage to the novelist Paul Auster - and writing about him after his death in “Ghost Stories”

John Lanchester

Novelist and journalist, author of Capital and Look What You Made Me Do

Author, Look What You Made Me Do; Capital

Episode: John Lanchester on his novelistic portrayal of London on the brink of a financial crisis in "Capital" and intergenerational strife in his new book "Look What You Made Me Do"

Kathryn Stockett

Novelist known for The Help and The Calamity Club

Episode: Kathryn Stockett on the success (and controversy) of "The Help" and taking 17 years to publish a follow-up novel, "The Calamity Club"

Michael Morpurgo

Children's author; author of War Horse

Self

Episode: Michael Morpurgo on how his novel about a horse in the First World War gained a spectacular second life on stage and screen

Lauren Groff

Novelist and short story writer

Author of Brawler

Episode: Lauren Groff on book bans, artificial intelligence and what novels set in the past reveal about the present

Jason Burke

International Security Correspondent at The Guardian

The Guardian

Episode: Jason Burke on his career as a foreign correspondent and unravelling 1970s terror networks in his new book

Katy Hessel

Art historian and author

Art historian and author of How To Live An Artful Life and The Story of Art Without Men

Episode: Katy Hessel on making museums accessible, writing "The Story of Art without Men" and the value of an art-history degree

Doug Naylor

Screenwriter and novelist, creator of Red Dwarf and Sin Bin Island

Episode: Doug Naylor on creating iconic 80s and 90s TV, a hit novelty song and books for children

Mary Beard

Academic and author discussed Talking Classics and public engagement with Classics

Talking Classics (Profile Books)

Episode: Mary Beard on "The Odyssey", "Gladiator 2" and why popular culture is always in dialogue with the ancient world

Hosts

Simon Akam

Host of Always Take Notes; extensive experience hosting conversations with authors, editors, and publishers.

Rachel Lloyd

Co-host and interviewer, contributing to deep-dive conversations with writers, editors, and industry figures.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 214 ratings

Outstanding interviews
I look forward to hearing these interviews.
Apple Podcasts
5
NeverBored.
United Statesa year ago
Entertaining, helpful and informative
I really enjoy Always Take Notes. It has the most incredible guests. My favourites so far are Harlen Coben and Lee Child. But it’s great when they move away into screenwriting and other platforms (James Graham and David Nicholls are also fab interviewees.)
Simon and Rachel are intelligent and articulate interviewers.
The most heartening thing to hear is how successful writers have struggled, either creatively, financially or emotionally with their work - but have found a way through.
Also a us... more
Apple Podcasts
5
Rob M U rphy
United Kingdoma year ago
Philippe Sands episode is exceptional
Philippe Sands episode absolutely fascinating. The best episode. Highly recommend!
Apple Podcasts
5
cbsurm
Australia2 years ago
Really helpful
As a graduate of an MA in Magazine Journalism, I recently discovered a podcast that perfectly complements and extends what I learned during my course. Even after graduation, I continue to learn something new from each episode. The best part is that most of the guest speakers are working journalists, making it feel like attending hundreds of journalism seminars without actually having to go. I highly recommend it!
Apple Podcasts
5
Wangmo44
United Kingdom2 years ago
Podcast overall good, but
I enjoy the Always Take Notes Podcast. I don’t listen regularly but I do listen from time to time, I enjoy the hosts and being exposed to writers with which I’m otherwise unfamiliar. I took a point off just because I wouldn’t rate it a perfect 5, however I took another point off for the Naomi Klein interview. The approach Klein took to write her book Doppelgänger doesn’t sit well. It seems attacking, unaccepting and condemning of the work of Naomi Wolfe in a way that’s almost underhanded. Kle... more
Apple Podcasts
3
Jesus-in-the-City
United States2 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are consistently described as fascinating and well-chosen, with strong industry credibility.

The hosts are commended for smart, insightful questions and humility in guiding conversations.

Listeners often praise the depth of interviews and the practical takeaways for writers.

Some episodes are noted for sound quality or pacing issues, but content generally shines.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#159	United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts	#188	Singapore/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

John Lanchester on his novelistic portrayal of London on the brink of a financial crisis in "Capital" and intergenerational strife in his new book "Look What You Made Me Do"

Q: What role did your personal history and background play in shaping your writing about London and its social dynamics?

Growing up across Asia and Europe, with frequent moves, fostered a sense of dislocation and not belonging anywhere, which became a productive lens for examining London's shifting identity and the lives of its diverse inhabitants.

John Lanchester on his novelistic portrayal of London on the brink of a financial crisis in "Capital" and intergenerational strife in his new book "Look What You Made Me Do"

Q: How did you approach the shift from a first-person or close third-person focus in your earlier work to Capital's omniscient, broad perspective?

Capital demanded a deliberate move to a classic omniscient narration to manage a large cast, and it allowed the author to interrogate how different characters perceive the same events, reflecting the broader changes in London and finance.

John Lanchester on his novelistic portrayal of London on the brink of a financial crisis in "Capital" and intergenerational strife in his new book "Look What You Made Me Do"

Q: Could you tell us about Look What You Made Me Do, the trio of characters at the center of the story and how you came up with it?

The story emerged from a dreamlike, liminal moment between wakefulness and sleep, then evolved into two women's voices, Kate and Phoebe, with a dead husband figure who remains central as a kind of protagonist in absence, shaping the plot and psychological tension.

Michael Morpurgo on how his novel about a horse in the First World War gained a spectacular second life on stage and screen

Q: How did War Horse come from a local place to a global phenomenon?

He traces War Horse's trajectory from a conversation with locals in Devon, research at the Imperial War Museum, and the discovery of the overwhelming bond between humans and horses in war, to the National Theatre puppetry adaptation and eventual film, emphasizing the role of chance encounters and the long preparation behind a sudden breakthrough.

Michael Morpurgo on how his novel about a horse in the First World War gained a spectacular second life on stage and screen

Q: What was it like dealing in realism and writing about your own life?

He explains that he draws heavily on memory and personal experience, using his life as material in fiction, especially when writing for young readers, while acknowledging the transformative impact of reflecting on his own childhood in his work.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Always Take Notes

What is Always Take Notes about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A twice-monthly show centered on writing, publishing, and the literary industry. Conversations with authors, journalists, editors, publishers, and other industry insiders cover craft, publishing economics, representation, and the changing landscape of books in the digital age. Notable strengths include intimate, experience-rich interviews with a mix of high-profile and emerging voices, plus practical insights on pitching, editing, and navigating careers in writing. Listeners can expect deep dives into process, money, and the realities of publishing, along with thoughtful discussion of representation and technology's impact on the field.

Where can I find podcast stats for Always Take Notes?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Always Take Notes. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Always Take Notes and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Always Take Notes get?

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What are the audience demographics for Always Take Notes?

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How many subscribers and views does Always Take Notes have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Always Take Notes has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Always Take Notes?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Always Take Notes:

1. The Waterstones Podcast
2. Take Four Books
3. London Review Bookshop Podcast
4. Writer's Routine
5. Backlisted

How many episodes of Always Take Notes are there?

Always Take Notes launched 9 years ago and published 275 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Always Take Notes?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Always Take Notes?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Always Take Notes from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Always Take Notes?

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What guests have appeared on Always Take Notes?

Recent guests on Always Take Notes include:

1. Siri Hustvedt
2. John Lanchester
3. Kathryn Stockett
4. Michael Morpurgo
5. Lauren Groff
6. Jason Burke
7. Katy Hessel
8. Doug Naylor

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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