Harlan Coben: From book to Netflix—The creator’s struggle

A dedicated writer reveals the full complexity of the process of adapting his novels to People Magazine.

The king of thrillers, whose series are huge hits on Netflix, is just as involved in adapting his works as he is in the original writing process. For him, bringing his plots from the page to the screen is a real obstacle course, just as grueling as facing a blank page.

“It involves a lot of back-and-forth, trial and error. I often say that about writing a novel, but it’s the same for television,” he tells People, while promoting his new series “In Your Footsteps.”

The behind-the-scenes secrets of success

To sum up what goes on behind the scenes, the best-selling author uses a not-so-glamorous metaphor: the adaptation process is like… making sausages! "You might like the finished product, but you wouldn’t want to see how it’s made," he jokes.

Behind the polished aesthetic of the episodes lies a Herculean effort. Just as in his books, Harlan Coben wants each of his characters to be deeply developed and to have a genuine arc. The result? Endless back-and-forth sessions with the screenwriters to fine-tune the scripts. It’s a real ordeal that the author puts himself through every time.

And it's precisely this high standard that makes him a magnet for success, both in bookstores and on screen.