He has published twenty-three novels, all New York Times bestsellers,[1] and two works of nonfiction, with over 115 million copies sold worldwide in more than 50 languages.

[9] He began writing while attending the University of Notre Dame on a track and field scholarship, majoring in business finance and graduating magna cum laude.

In total, eleven of his novels have been adapted as films: Message in a Bottle (1999), A Walk to Remember (2002), The Notebook (2004), Nights in Rodanthe (2008), Dear John (2010), The Last Song (2010), The Lucky One (2012), Safe Haven (2013), The Best of Me (2014), The Longest Ride (2015), and The Choice (2016).

[23][24] Sparks has also funded scholarships, internships, and annual fellowships at the University of Notre Dame Creative Writing Program.

In 2012, he founded The Nicholas Sparks Foundation, a nonprofit that funds global education experiences for students, which has donated more than $15 million to charities, scholarship programs, and other projects.

[25] 11 of Sparks's books have been turned into films, four of which he produced, including The Choice, The Longest Ride, The Best of Me, and Safe Haven.

Seven other of his books have also adapted for film: The Lucky One, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, Nights in Rodanthe, Dear John, The Last Song, and The Notebook.

The company signed a first-look deal with Sparks, with intentions being that a long-term working relationship follow; the three movies will be joint-venture productions between Universal Pictures and Anonymous Content.

[38] In January 2025, it was announced that Sparks had collaborated with M. Night Shyamalan on an original story they co-wrote, which is described as a supernatural romantic thriller.

Jake Gyllenhaal will star in the movie, while Shyamalan will serve as producer alongside Ashwin Rajan, Theresa Park, and Marc Bienstock.