The choices Nicholas Sparks has to make

“The Choice provides subtle lessons in love and hope…reinforces the theory that all choices, no matter how seemingly unimportant…often have far-reaching, rippling effects. Sparks has become a favorite storyteller because of his ability to take ordinary people, put them in extraordinary situations, and create unexpected outcomes.”

—BookReport.com

I’m sure that the fans of Nicholas Sparks (this one included) agree with everything that BookReport.com has to say about Sparks’ novel The Choice, the latest of his works to be made into a movie (showing nationwide starting on Wednesday, Feb. 17, released by Viva Films), following The Notebook, The Last Song, The Lucky One, Dear John, Nights in Rodanthe, A Walk To Remember, Message in a Bottle and others.

Co-produced by Sparks himself with The Safran Company Production, The Choice stars Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, In the Heart of the Sea) as Travis Shaw and Teresa Palmer (Warm Bodies, I Am Number Four) as Gabby Holland in a story “that chronicles the power of love from a young couple’s rocky first meeting to a life-long romance that will be tested as their lives take a turn that neither of them ever anticipated,” ending with the question: How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?

Directed by Ross Katz (Lost in Translation) from a screenplay by Bryan Sipe (Demolition, A Million Miles), The Choice on big screen will, like Sparks’ other novels-turned-movies, keep you in suspended animation until the last reel.

Sparks recently talked to Conversations.

You didn’t write the screenplay of The Choice. Are you confident that the scriptwriter (Bryan Sipe) told the story the way you did in the book?

“Bryan didn’t tell the story in exactly the same way that I did in the book, but he wasn’t supposed to. A film is a completely different medium than a novel, and it utilizes different conventions. For instance, how can one translate a moment of deep introspection and soul-searching (written in first person, even) into a cinematic moment? You have to use completely different tools — showing things principally in pictures, rather than communicating them through words. Bryan did a fantastic job of retaining the spirit of the book and the essence of the key characters…and adding much more, all of which enhanced the story beautifully.”

Did you give Bryan suggestions on how the screenplay should be done?

“Yes, the other producers and I all sat down and brainstormed with Bryan extensively before he began writing. Then we checked in with him at the outline stage, and after completion of each act of the screenplay. He is a wonderfully sensitive and receptive collaborator, a true joy with whom to work.”

How about with the director Ross Katz? Did you have to compare notes with him? Were you present on the set during the shoot?

“I spoke with Ross numerous times before the shoot, and also offered notes and suggestions during the editing process. I spent some time on the set, but didn’t want to get in Ross’ way or otherwise interfere with his artistic direction and thus reserved most of my input for afterwards, when the film was assembled.”

Is The Choice inspired by your own experience?

“I wouldn’t say that the novel is based on any specific experience of mine – no one close to me has ever faced the kind of choice that Travis confronts at the end of the book. However, the character of Travis is loosely inspired by my brother Micah, with whom I’m very close.”

Since 1996 with your first best-seller The Notebook, how do you maintain your easy-breezy, engaging style?

“I’m glad to hear that you feel my style is easy and engaging, because the process of writing for me is anything but! I guess you know you’ve succeeded when all the agony, rewriting and torturous second-guessing ends up as prose that looks effortless!”

When are you at your performance level (best writing mood), in the morning, at noon, in the afternoon or in the evening?

“Well, I’m basically a morning person, but I’ll write whenever – and wherever – I have the time. It’s nice to work in my office (particularly when I’m fresh from a mind-clearing workout at the gym) but I’ve written on airplanes, in cars, in hotels, you name it. I can focus and concentrate no matter where I am, and I don’t worry too much about getting distracted.”

How long does the process take from conception to actual writing? Which of your novels was the fastest to write and which took you the longest and the hardest?

“It can differ from book to book…sometimes I get blocked and have to start over with a new idea, which really kills me. If all goes smoothly, I spend a month or six weeks thinking through all the aspects of the novel, and then four or five months writing. However, I wrote A Walk To Remember in two weeks — a feat I’m always hoping to reprise! On the opposite end, it took me a year and half to write See Me. Combining a love story and a thriller proved to a bigger challenge than I anticipated.”

Do you, like most writers, sometimes suffer from mental block and how do you get over it?

“Writer’s block is part of the creative process — sometimes it lasts only for an hour or so, in which case the block is usually resolved by going for a walk or running an errand or working out at the gym. But there have been cases (as I mentioned above) in which I had to abandon novels for which I had written over a hundred pages — and there was no way to ‘get over it.’ Generally speaking, when I get blocked it’s because there’s something flawed with the way I’ve put the story together, but I don’t always know where I went wrong or how to fix it. Like most writers, I live in dread of being blocked — there’s nothing more frustrating or terrifying.”

Where do you get the inspiration for your novels? How much of your novels are based on true experience (your own or maybe some other people’s)?

“I don’t know where the ideas for most of my novels come from — it’s a mystery to me. Sometimes a theme or premise from a classic movie or book will trigger an idea for a variation, but that’s usually only a partial inspiration. I seldom draw from actual experiences — mine or others’ — but I do look for conflicts and emotional through-lines that feel universal, and that many people can relate to.”

Do you share your drafts with any member of the family perhaps for their input if any?

“The only people who see the drafts of my novel are my agent and editor. It’s a process that has worked well for me for 20 years.”

Please describe yourself as a father?

“My motto when it comes to parenting is essentially this: I try to be ‘good enough’ since there’s no such thing as being the perfect parent. If there’s anything I may do differently than others, it is limiting advice. Instead, I listen and offer alternatives while allowing my kids to work through their own problems. With that said, the youngest of my children is 14, so they have the maturity to converse in such a manner.”

Why did you decide to venture into movie production?

“It happened rather organically…over time, I came to work so closely with the producers of my films that I sort-of became a creative partner to them. As the creator of the original work, they were very respectful of my thoughts and opinions and, of course, didn’t want to disappoint my fans. After a while, it just made sense to make my participation ‘official.’”

Of all your novels, why The Choice as your first venture into film producing?

“The Choice is based on an older novel of mine, from 2007, so it wasn’t widely circulated in Hollywood where people are usually chasing what is ‘new.’ It’s always been one of my favorite and most emotionally wrenching stories, however, so I wanted to make sure it was adapted the right way. My producing partner and I wanted to release a film that felt a little different from the many studio films that had been based on my books, and by having more control over the film’s creative aspects I think we succeeded.”

Did you have a hand in choosing the cast of The Choice and those of your other novels?

“I was of course kept apprised of all the casting choices and certainly weighed in, but what I’ve found is that the actors who end up in my films generally choose the roles themselves — you can’t force an actor to be in a film if he or she doesn’t want to be. Then, of course, there’s always the issue of who is actually available and within reach of your budget…but I must say, I’ve been thrilled with the casts of all my films, especially this one. Ben Walker and Teresa Palmer are so talented, and their chemistry is electric. The supporting cast is absolutely A-list, so all in all we’ve been blessed.”

Could you give us a hint on what your next novel is about?

“A love story, of course — but also a story about marriage, fathers and daughters, and the importance of family when you’re really in crisis.”

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