His 2008 novel The Journal of Curious Letters, first in the series, was one of the annual Borders Original Voices picks.

[3] He moved from Atlanta, Georgia to Provo, Utah[3] to study at Brigham Young University, where he received a master's degree in accounting.

The popularity of The Maze Runner led 20th Century Fox to obtain the rights in late 2010 for a film adaptation, with Catherine Hardwicke set to direct.

[12] The Maze Runner remained on the list for years, making it one of the best-selling children's books of all time.

During the same period, it was announced that the second instalment, The Scorch Trials, had been picked up by Fox as a potential sequel to the currently unreleased first film.

In September 2014, The Maze Runner film adaptation was released and had a worldwide box office total of $348.3 million.

[19] Following the release of Maze Runner: The Death Cure, comments were posted anonymously on the School Library Journal website, alleging that Dashner had engaged in sexual harassment.

[20] Following this, Dashner's agent, Michael Bourret, stated that he "couldn't in good conscience continue working with [him]".

[20] Dashner published a statement on Twitter, which said, in part: "I didn't honor or fully understand boundaries and power dynamics.

[20] In October 2021, Dashner released the adult horror novel, The House of Tongues with Riverdale Avenue Books.

The storyline follows single father David Player, who is trying to raise four children while dealing and processing a childhood trauma.

[23] Dashner and his wife, Lynette Anderson, a former student of Brigham Young University,[3] have four children and are now living in Utah.