In a recent interview, Suzanne Collins gave readers a peek at the process of adapting The Hunger Games for the screen–recognizing that changes are usually a necessary evil in the adaptation process.

Shelf-Life offered this quote from Collins who recently undertook the script-writing process: “Obviously, you have to let things go, but it’s more than a question of condensation. You want to preserve the essence while making the film stand on its own. It’s an art in itself.”

After Collins wrote the first draft for The Hunger Games script, screenwriter Billy Ray took over for revisions. Before she wrote books full-time, she worked as a writer for children’s television shows on Nickelodeon.