Always Take Notes: Advice from Some of the World's Greatest Writers

by Simon Akam

Wealth of Inspiration and Knowledge for Aspiring and Seasoned WritersAcquire exclusive access to the invaluable insights and candid anecdotes of some of the literary world's most esteemed authors

Art of turning words into bestsellers. For over five years, the hosts of the renowned Always Take Notes podcast have delved into the lives and minds of literary luminaries, extracting the secrets to their success and unearthing the hard-earned lessons they've gathered in their remarkable careers.

From the inception of the best ideas. This compendium of wisdom serves as a beacon for aspiring writers, answering critical questions from how to become an author to how to get books published. Always Take Notes is a treasure trove for those in search of guidance on a path to literary accomplishment. This invaluable book is a roadmap for writers and authors alike, offering a first-hand look into the daily challenges of writing and the critical habits that help writers persevere. Readers will learn from the best and gain valuable insights into the author's life.

Inside you’ll

A collection of firsthand experiences from best-selling authorsWriting advice and a reminder that setbacks are stepping stones to successA window into the writer's life

If you have enjoyed other books for authors and writers such as Writer's Market, The Science of Storytelling, or You Can Be a Winning Writer, then Always Take Notes is for you.

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing, Books About Books

312 pages, Paperback

Published August 13, 2024

About the author

Simon Akam held a Gap Year Commission in the British Army before reading English Literature at Oxford University. He later won a Fulbright scholarship to study at Columbia Journalism School. After graduation from Columbia Simon worked at The New York Times and subsequently spent several years in West Africa as a freelance correspondent for Reuters and the Economist.

Reviews

[India (IndiaReadsALot) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting read with a lot of helpful tips, advice, and interesting anecdotes but the format got very repetitive quickly and took me nearly a month to finish.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been dipping in and out of this book over the past six months and now that I’ve finished it, I honestly can’t remember a single bit of useful advice.

If you’re wanting to be a writer – specifically a fiction writer – then I imagine there are much better advice books out there that are worth reading.

[FH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice audiobook - learned a lot about the worlds of writing and writers!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This information wasn't worth absorbing in book format, but I would definitely have liked a podcast as it's more time efficient.

[Annette Beatwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although there was lots here to enjoy, I found the implementation unhelpful. The interviews have been cut into slices and gathered together by theme, I guess to compare different writer's experiences. Unfortunately, this robs some of the quotes of context and makes reading the book from cover to cover a little repetitive and tedious.

I would have preferred to read the interviews in their entirety.

I can see that some people would prefer to use this as a book to dip in and out of in small sections. So, in some respects, this is my fault, because I was reading it wrong.

[Miriam Morgans · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝔸𝕝𝕨𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕋𝕒𝕜𝕖 ℕ𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕤

Book Description

Bestselling and award-winning authors share the secrets to their success and the hard lessons they have learnt along the way.

Where do the best ideas come from? How do you stay motivated? What does it take to become a published author? And how do you actually make money from your writing? For over five years, the hosts of the Always Take Notes podcast have posed their nosiest questions to some of the world's greatest writers. The result is a compendium of frank and frequently entertaining guidance for living a creative life.

FEATURING Alexander McCall Smith, Anne Enright, Candice Carty-Williams, Christina Lamb, Colin Thubron, Colum McCann, David Mitchell, Elif Shafak, George Packer, Hadley Freeman, Hollie McNish, Ian McEwan, Ian Rankin, Irvine Welsh, Jeffrey Archer, Joanne Harris, Kate Mosse, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Kit de Waal, Louise Doughty, Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Maggie Fergusson, Mark Haddon, Marlon James, Max Hastings, May Jeong, Merve Emre, Monica Ali, Niall Ferguson, Nikesh Shukla, Oliver Bullough, Orlando Figes, Patrick Kingsley, Rory Stewart, Rosie Nixon, Ruth Ozeki, Ruth Padel, Sam Knight, Samanth Subramanian, Samira Shackle, Sara Baume, Sebastian Junger, Simon Lancaster, Simon Scarrow, Stig Abell, Terri White, Tessa Hadley, Tim Rice, Toby Young, Tracy Chevalier, William Boyd, William Dalrymple and many more ...

I listened to the audio version of this book, and it was interesting to hear this documentary format of advice given by a whole array of authors.

As readers, we often dream of becoming a writer, but taking that brave step can be daunting. Listening to all of the different experiences of the writers above is very helpful and at the end of the day it takes alot of hard work and drive and sometimes a little bit of luck to get noticed, but the main message is do you research, write from within and don't give up!

I'm going to say a little prayer that this little book inspires me to take that leap into the writing world! ✍️ 📖 🌎 ❤️

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

"Always Take Notes..." compiles insights and comments from guests on the podcast of the same name. Produced by The Economist, the writers interviewed skew heavily toward journalism. The excerpts are compiled into subject chapters, Early Inspiration, Process, Rejection, Success, etc.

The subtitle is something of a misnomer. There is little in the way of advice to be found in these pages. One interviewee offers an ironic bit of meta-advice: stay away from writing advice books. The editors took that to heart for this publication. The few tidbits that find their way in are brilliant, but there is little of practical use here for those seeking expertise or instruction.

That said, the anecdotes are frequently inspiring, sometimes maddening, always entertaining. A good read overall, just don't expect to learn much.

[Kez · Rating 4 out of 5]

In order to put off doing my own writing, I've been doing a lot of reading about writing. This book pulls together a lot of advice from writers uncovered whilst recording the podcast of the same name. All the key advice is pulled together in this novel which is helpfully split into sections so you can dip in and out. The interviews bring out the honesty in the writers being posed the questions, and it's a wonderful warts-n-all look at the process from getting the idea of a novel to the realities of the publishing world. The writers interviewed are wide-ranging from novelists and poets to journalists and academic writers.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF I tried it in ebook format and found the interview section repetitive and not very informative. I swapped to the audio book, and while I found the interview section more interesting this way, it was a bit jarring to adust to the sound bites from the podcast for each author some of which were clearer than others. It's got great information, but I'm not sure the format works well for me. I may try again another time.

[Captain Absurd · Rating 4 out of 5]

The list of tips on post-publication activities was particularly interesting. It seems one can certainly skip the first chapters about various youthful encounters with books and libraries. The editors by their choice of interviewees are drawing attention to several literary names I almost forgot about :). Overall it's more of a 3,5 than 4, however I will surely end up checking out the podcast.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writers interview writers who have advice for other writers. I enjoyed that the authors divvied up their thoughts into categories (money, success, early influences, etc.), but not so much the authors' attempts to synthesize what these diverse writers had to say before letting them have their say. After a few chapters, I skipped reading the chapter intros.
And I took notes.

[Jon S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good advice overall, though the format was very repetitive. Clear and understandable reading (listened via audiobook)


However, a few of the interviews recorded were of a lower quality (over Zoom call or had glitchy audio), and/or had their audio balanced incorrectly, so were either very soft or quiet, and challenging to make audible.

[Georgie Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rare glimpse at the process behind the brilliance of what we so readily consume. We learn this process is sometimes methodical, sometimes not. Always Take Notes shows the vulnerability in creation of the prose we all know and love. Bravo!

[Anomilie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting collection of interview excerpts regarding topics relevant to most emerging writers in a variety of written media. Some of the excerpts weren't very relevant to the specific topic chapter they were listed under, but we're still interesting. It was a mix of advice and life experience

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of hope

For a writer that is. A brilliant cross section of some of the best writers out there, relating their experiences in both the writing and publishing industry. An inspiration and, at the same time
cautionary tale, of what it's like to be a writer.

[Emily Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook for this and it is a bit repetitive but I don’t think that’s intentional, I think it’s because the writers simply have similar thoughts and experiences which is fine. This was really interesting and definitely a great read for anyone who loves any kind of writing.

[Elaine Kozak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, accept that the book is built on the transcripts of podcasts. This would explain why some of authors' offerings are astonishingly inarticulate for successful writers. And, although entertaining, their comments are not particularly instructive.

[Teri B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very inspiring listen to how authors talk and think and write about their work and all the various parts that go into writing a story and getting it published. Loved it with its sprinkle of glee.

[Brendon Lancaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a real treasure trove of useful insights and advice for any aspiring writer. Very highly recommended!

[Jus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Authors, writers, novelists, journalists, screenwriters giving their advice, experiences, insights on writing. Inspiring read. This book has 619 pages despite what Goodreads app says.

[Natacha Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice and insight. Definitely taking forward a lot of the tips included.

[Aisling Mcsweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, though as a regular convention goer this is the stuff I enjoy. I listened to this on audiobook, and it came across as enjoyable, interesting and well organised

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of usual advice for writers. A recommended read for writers.

[Matthew Barker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to get an insight into the experiences of a variety of writers.

[Enor]

I found it helpful and interesting, particularly that there is no one right way into writing well and successfully.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

08.01.2024

Loved dipping in and out of this! Really interesting to see so many different writers and publishers talk about their experiences in the industry.