One Day's Unexpected Success: Author David Nicholls Reveals the Moment He Knew He Had a Hit
Bestselling author David Nicholls has revealed the moment he realized his novel, "One Day," was going to be a massive success. The book, which charts the lives of lovers Dexter and Emma on the same date each year over 20 years, has sold over six million copies worldwide.
In an interview with Lauren Laverne on "Desert Island Discs," Nicholls shared how he stumbled upon a news article in 2009 that showed Spice Girl Geri Halliwell reading his book while on holiday in Sardinia. This seemingly innocuous moment sparked a realization for Nicholls:
"There was a photograph of Geri Halliwell reading it on the sun lounger in hardback," Nicholls said. "And then shortly after that, it became something that you saw on the Tube quite often, which is a big thrill for a writer to see someone reading your book."
This public visibility gave Nicholls a sense of the book's reach. It wasn't just a niche project; it was resonating with a broad audience.
"That felt very exciting to see that it was out there in a way that I hadn't experienced before and that people were talking about it and responding to it and writing to me about it," he said. "That was really exciting and unexpected because my first book had done really well, my second book had done not so well and there were no expectations with the third book, so to see it take-off in that way was thrilling."
"One Day" gained an even larger following when the Netflix adaptation was released, garnering a spot in the top ten in 89 countries. This new generation of fans embraced the story of Dexter and Emma, experiencing the ups and downs of their love story over two decades.
Nicholls revealed that he was aiming to create a novel with the emotional impact of a great pop song: "I've always thought that its always the biggest thing that happens to you, meeting someone and falling in love. It's the thing that shapes your life."
The author also admitted that he finds it challenging to write about happiness and contentment, preferring to explore the complexities of human relationships and the nuances of life after the initial whirlwind of love has passed.
"I never quite believe in happy endings; I always want to know what happens next. It's very hard to write about happiness and contentment. It's a wonderful thing to experience, but a boring thing to watch," he concluded.
Nicholls's journey with "One Day" demonstrates the power of unexpected moments and the impact of a story that captures the heart of readers, whether through the printed page or the screen. The book's success, ignited by a chance sighting of a celebrity reader, shows that even for established authors, the path to literary success can be paved with unforeseen turns.
