There are books you enjoy.

Then there are books that quietly raise your standards forever.

For me, those books were Brandon Sanderson's.

His stories have kept me awake until two in the morning because I couldn't bear to stop reading. They carried me through long drives to and from Florida. They sat beside me after losing my grandpa.

But Brandon Sanderson gave me more than unforgettable stories.

He taught me what excellence looks like.

Every time I finish one of his books, I close it believing that stories can always be deeper, characters can always be richer, worlds can always feel more alive. He raised the bar so high that I have never been able to look at storytelling the same way again—or books themselves, for that matter.

I don't write better because I want to be Brandon Sanderson.

I write better because I have read Brandon Sanderson.

For that, I will always be grateful.