Always Take Notes

Updated: 10 Dec 2024 • 201 episodes
www.alwaystakenotes.com

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

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Rachel and Simon speak to the journalist and author Reni Eddo-Lodge. She started blogging and writing journalism while a student; one post, published in 2014 and called “Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race” eventually led to a book of the same name in 2017. The book won the Jhalak Prize as well as a Br

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For the 200th episode of Always Take Notes Simon and Rachel speak with the novelist Frederick Forsyth. He began his career in the Royal Air Force in 1956, before leaving to pursue journalism. Frederick worked for Reuters, the BBC, and as a freelancer; part of his early career was spent covering French affairs, includin

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Rachel and Simon speak with the novelist Paula Hawkins. Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Paula moved to London in 1989. She worked as a journalist for 15 years, reporting on business and personal finance. Her first book, "The Money Goddess", a financial guide for women, was released in 2006. She turned to fiction in 20

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Rachel Lloyd + Simon Akam & Richard Dawkins 29 Oct 2024 • EN

#198: Richard Dawkins, non-fiction author

Simon and Rachel speak to Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist and bestselling science writer. His first book, "The Selfish Gene", published in 1976, has sold over a million copies and been translated into more than 25 languages. Other titles include "The Ancestor’s Tale", "The Blind Watchmaker" and "The God Delu

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Rachel and Simon speak to Eleanor Moran, a television producer and novelist. Eleanor started her career at the BBC as a script editor before becoming an executive producer; she has worked on shows including "Watership Down", "The Girl Before" and "The Flatshare". She balances her work in television alongside writing fi

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Simon Akam + Rachel Lloyd & Robert Harris 01 Oct 2024 • EN

#196: Robert Harris, novelist

Simon and Rachel speak to Robert Harris, the bestselling historical novelist. Robert worked as a journalist, and wrote several non-fiction books, before his first novel, "Fatherland", which imagines a world in which Germany won the Second World War, was published in 1992. He has subsequently written 15 other novels: in

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