Nicholas Sparks, the bestselling author known for hits like The Notebook, shared insights into his writing process and new projects during his appearance at the Variety Entertainment Marketing Summit on Thursday. Speaking to Variety’s Senior Writer for TV Business and Gaming, Jennifer Maas, at the event held at NeueHouse in Hollywood, Sparks outlined the foundational rules that guide his approach to crafting romance novels that captivate readers.
Sparks’ Approach to Writing Romance
At the heart of Sparks’ writing philosophy is a simple yet impactful question: “What are the ages of the characters who will fall in love?” Sparks emphasized that the age of the characters is a key element in making his stories relatable. “People tend to like to read about characters they can relate to,” Sparks explained. “Teenagers, for instance, are unlikely to connect with elderly characters or those in their 50s. They prefer stories about people closer to their own age.” This understanding of his audience drives Sparks to vary the ages of his characters, ensuring his novels appeal to a broad range of readers.
The Three Pillars of a Great Story
Beyond age, Sparks holds himself to a high standard when it comes to storytelling. He described the three essential criteria he uses to develop his novels: originality, interest, and universality. Sparks strives to create stories that are not only fresh and intriguing but also deeply relatable. He noted that most stories succeed in two of these areas but fail to meet the third. “The more universal a story is — the more a reader or viewer can think, ‘Hey, this could happen to me’ — the more powerful it becomes,” he said. For Sparks, the magic happens when a story is both original and universally appealing.
Other Noteworthy Topics
Sparks also touched on several other topics during the session, including a viral moment from last year. A New York Times feature highlighted his chicken salad recipe, which includes an unconventional ingredient — Splenda sweetener. Despite initial skepticism, the recipe quickly went viral, and Splenda eventually approached Sparks for a marketing partnership. “I’ll put it up against anybody’s,” Sparks joked. “We fed people on my book tours, and sure enough, Splenda loved it. My recipe will appear on their boxes this year.”
Collaboration with M. Night Shyamalan
One of Sparks’ most exciting new ventures is his collaboration with director M. Night Shyamalan on a psychological thriller titled Remain. Sparks shared that he began discussing the project with Shyamalan over a year ago, with the director agreeing to helm the film, which will be released next year, following the release of Sparks’ novel in October. Filming is set to begin in June. “It was a great challenge,” Sparks recalled. “My manager, Howie Sanders, asked me to come up with an original story that would resonate with both my audience and Shyamalan’s. We met for just a couple of hours, shared our ideas, and immediately agreed to pursue his concept.”
Sparks’ appearance at the summit highlighted not only his longstanding success in the romance genre but also his willingness to innovate and explore new creative horizons. As Sparks continues to develop new novels, film projects, and even culinary collaborations, his ability to engage with a wide range of audiences remains at the core of his approach.
