Like many Americans, I just celebrated Thanksgiving with an extended weekend full of family, friends, and food. It’s time to get back to business and a normal schedule, but there’s one more thing I want to express thanks for: the authors I’ve gotten to know and work with over the past several years. I’m thankful to have a job that’s about people more than dollars, and I want to give you all a big thanks for being a part of my life.

Here are the top four reasons for my gratitude:

1: You support me in my work.

To start on the simplest note, I’m thankful that you have put your confidence in me as an editor. It’s what keeps me financially afloat, but it’s also so much more—it’s beyond rewarding to get to watch as you grow as writers through my feedback and suggestions. It encourages me to know that I’m exactly where I need to be and gives me the willpower to keep pouring into my business. Thank you for supporting me as I work to support you.

2: You share amazing stories.

If you had told me when I was a kid that I would one day be getting paid to read stories, I would have barely believed it! There are days when the work is a challenge, but for the most part, it’s a dream career. Even when I don’t have time to read for pleasure, I know that I’ll still get to explore and enjoy story after story. Your books aren’t just a job—they’re already unique, creative stories that more often than not sweep me up in their magic so that I nearly forget to keep working. Thank you for lighting up my life by sharing your words with me.

3: You encourage me to write.

When I was younger, I dreamed of being a writer—and in a way, I already was one. I gifted poems to my grandparents, wrote skits to perform with my cousins, and filled “newsletters” with fan fiction for a Star Wars club I started with friends. Somewhere along the line, though, I lost confidence. I got caught up in teaching and editing and barely paid attention to my own words. Here’s the thing, though—when I dared to admit that I was starting to write again, you believed in me. Whenever I pick up my own pen, the authors I’ve helped along the way are the very ones cheering me on as I start at the beginning.

4: You have become my friends.

I started my work young, and in the beginning, I thought that being professional meant I had to be aloof and businesslike at all times. You quickly corrected me. Bit by bit, the wall I had built up cracked until suddenly, it was gone, and I was left with people who cared about me as a person, not just for what I could offer. Now it’s my joy to form relationships with you, to talk not only about your writing journeys but about your interests, your experiences, and the highs and lows in your life. To those of who have believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself, to those who have entrusted me with their own sorrows and struggles, and to those who have stood by me when I’ve been at my own lows, I want to offer my heartfelt thanks.

Pass it on.

I hope that those of you who are the authors thanked in this post know who you are. You truly light up my life! For those of you that I maybe haven’t yet gotten to know, thanks for reading to the end. Please know that you can make a difference in others’ lives, whether it’s by encouraging and supporting them in what they do or letting them know how meaningful it is that they’ve done the same for you. We are stronger together, and words can make a difference.