Always Take Notes
Hosted by Rachel and Simon and Rachel Lloyd and Simon Akam · Always Take Notes
4.7from 72 ratings
- 249
- Episodes
- 17
- Transcribed
- 72
- Ratings
- Bi-weekly
- Cadence
- 2017
- First episode
About Always Take Notes
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
- Publisher
- Always Take Notes
- Category
- arts
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 2 Apr 2017
- Latest episode
- 13 Oct 2026
Latest episodes
17 of 249 episodes have a transcript.
13 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Charlotte Mursell on working at Mills & Boon, the romantasy boom and spotting a bestseller
29 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
David Walsh on his 13-year pursuit of cycling drug cheat Lance Armstrong and whether collision sports have a future
15 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
Madeleine Milburn on running her own literary agency, discovering "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" and what makes a perfect book-club book
Inside a recent episode
Charlotte Mursell on working at Mills & Boon, the romantasy boom and spotting a bestseller
Published 13 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] We saw that you went on to do an English degree at university, but take us back to where it all began for you. I've always loved books, as I think most people in publishing have. We were never, as children, allowed to watch television. Only if it rained, we could maybe put on Mary Poppins. Yeah. It was always reading as a form of entertainment and escape. And I just can remember spending hours and hours as a child just tucked into a chair, reading and losing myself in those worlds and had a very active imagination. So I think that's probably where it all began. But I just always loved stories and characters and they always felt very real to me. […]
Read the full transcript with a Pod Engine plan.
See plansWho has been a guest on Always Take Notes
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
- Charlotte Mursell
- David Walsh
- Madeleine Milburn
- Matt Haig
- Amanda Harris
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.6 / 5
- 33 ratings
- Spotify
- 4.9 / 5
- 39 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 74 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
- Quality
- 91
- Social presence
- 94
- YouTube
- 0
- Engagement
- 98
Contact Always Take Notes
- Guest appearances
- Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Shows with a similar audience
Questions about Always Take Notes
Who hosts Always Take Notes?
Rachel and Simon and Rachel Lloyd and Simon Akam host the show. Published by Always Take Notes.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes bi-weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Always Take Notes take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Where can I read transcripts?
17 of 249 episodes have a transcript on Pod Engine. Full transcripts are available with a Pod Engine plan.
Host of Always Take Notes?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show
Podcast research with Pod Engine