One Day's Success: Author David Nicholls on the Pressure of Fame

David Nicholls, the acclaimed author behind the bestselling romance novel "One Day," recently opened up about the challenges he faced following its immense success. The 2009 book, which followed the intertwined lives of Emma and Dexter over a period of 20 years, captivated readers and was adapted into a popular film in 2011. It's now also been reimagined as a Netflix series, further amplifying its reach.

On BBC Radio 4's "Desert Island Discs," Nicholls shared the moment he realized the book had become a phenomenon. He recalled seeing a newspaper photograph of Geri Halliwell reading "One Day" on a sun lounger, and then noticing it frequently on the London Underground.

"That felt very exciting," he said. "To see that it was out there in a way that I hadn't experienced before, and people were talking about it and responding to it and writing to me about it. It was really exciting and unexpected."

Nicholls explained that while his debut novel, "Starter For Ten," had been successful, his second book had not fared as well. Therefore, "One Day" came with no expectations, making its unexpected popularity even more thrilling.

He also described the emotional response he received from readers, something he hadn't anticipated but deeply appreciated. "People were responding to the manuscript in ways that I hadn't expected, very emotionally," he said. "And I knew that I enjoyed writing it in a way that felt different, and I knew that I felt very attached to the characters in a way that I hadn't experienced before."

However, this newfound success also brought a new set of challenges. Nicholls admitted that he found it difficult to write for a couple of years after the book's publication. The intense media attention and his involvement in the film adaptation left him feeling self-conscious and struggling to break free from the characters he had created.

"It was very hard," he explained, "because you suddenly become very self-conscious. Do you try and write the same book over and over again, do you show your versatility and range and write something completely different? Do you write something that works internationally?"

He described a period of writer's block, where he found himself unable to move on from Emma and Dexter. "I spent a year – I hired this very bad, grim, depressing office, and I’d lock myself in day after day," he shared. "I just needed to get away from Emma and Dexter for a while, grateful though I was for the success of the book, it was very hard to escape them."

Despite the challenges, Nicholls has continued to write successfully, penning "Us" in 2014. He has also seen his work adapted for television with the recent release of the "One Day" series on Netflix, starring Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod.

Nicholls' candid conversation on "Desert Island Discs" offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of an author navigating the complexities of fame and creative block after a groundbreaking success.