Why I Write Thrillers By T.G. Brown

“Sometimes, reality is too complex, but stories give it form.” I have always loved that quote. I don’t recall who said it. If we’re being honest, I probably got it from a Google search long ago,

before I became an author. 

The other day, my dear wife asked me a simple question: Why do you write Thrillers?” 

As a writer, I have never struggled to find deeper meaning in things, whether through a story or by delving into my own soul for answers. When someone asks me why I have dedicated my life to something, I like to give the answer that resides in the depths of my heart—not just the surface-level things. 

I’d already answered this question for myself years ago. Before I journeyed into the highly competitive world of being an author, it was something that I had to answer for myself before I did anything else. Because without knowing your why, you’ll set yourself up for failure. 

How could I expect people to read my books if I didn’t know why I was writing them?

As Simon Sinek said, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Truer words have never been spoken. 

So why do I write Thrillers? I could say that I write them because it’s an enticing genre– 

blah, blah, blah.

It’s true, but it’s also a boring as hell answer. There’s no passion. If that were my answer when my wife asked me, I wouldn’t have blamed her if she used my books as toilet paper. 

Okay, I would mind, but you get the point. 

I’m sure you all expect a philosophical answer that will blow you away.

Well, if I was smart enough to give you one, I would, but until then, this is all I got: 

I write thrillers because to not write feels like having no oxygen.

You see, writing thrillers to me is as essential as breathing. Writing thrillers is exciting, emotional, cathartic, and thought-provoking.

I love every aspect of writing a thriller. Call me crazy, but my books are my babies. I love them as a parent would love their child. No, I’m not insane, not yet, but that is the level of love I have for writing a thriller. I don’t write because I want to; I write because I must. Like a human needing nutrients to survive, I need to tell stories. 

Why the thriller genre? Being a person who has always dealt with an intense ADHD issue, fast-paced thrillers have always been the one genre that has kept my attention. Those who have ADHD know the struggle to keep their mind focused for an extended period. When I was young, the only stories that genuinely kept my interest for an entire book were… You guessed it: thriller books! 

I loved being engrossed in the twists and turns of a good thriller, so much so that I wanted to give that feeling back to readers. I thought to myself, what's cooler than reading a book that entertains and provokes emotions you didn't know you had? That's right, you already know. write the damn thing!

In conclusion, I'll circle back to the beginning quote, "Sometimes, reality is too complex but stories give it form."

As a full-time detective, I've encountered some heinous things from time to time, some of which have inspired my writing. Those experiences turned into complex investigations, leaving me reeling on multiple occasions. The power of storytelling always kept me going or gave my life some normalcy.

Whether it was a cathartic writing session or reading a great thriller that gave me a much-needed break from reality, I'd find light when the world around me got dark. I discovered that life can get pretty heavy, but it is much more bearable when you do the things you can't live with without.

Do what you love and be with the people you cherish because life is too short to do anything else.

Warren Lawson Series by T.G. Brown