Indie Authors Uncovered - Meet the person behind the pages - Meet Zsuzsa Czagler - Making the invisible forces of human motivation visible.
Where were you born?
I was born in Budapest, Hungary.
Where do you live?
I still live in Budapest, Hungary.
Do you have fur babies?
I have been a dedicated 'cat person' since I was 10 years old.
For over 25 years our home was never without a feline companion, and we had the joy of raising several litters of kittens and finding them loving homes. Although my last faithful cat companion passed away earlier in 2025, I am not without animal love.
Currently, I am the proud 'part-time mom' to a friend's cat and my daughter's funny little pug-mix dog.
Do you use a pen name?
No, I use my own name, Zsuzsa Czagler. This is my way of honoring my heritage. Since my father didn't have a son to pass down the family name, I decided that my books would serve that purpose—making the name visible and remembered globally.
What kind of writer are you?
Modern Day Laptop/PC Writer.
Name one book you loved as a kid - one you loved as a new adult - and one you love now.
- Childhood: The works of P. Howard (Jenő Rejtő). He is a cult classic in Hungary, known for his unique pulp-fiction parodies and brilliant wordplay.
- Adulthood: Terry Pratchett. I found a similar, yet globally profound brilliance in his Discworld series. I’ve read his entire bibliography at least three times in two different languages.
- Currently: I am still looking for the 'next Pratchett.' Since he passed away, there is a void on my bookshelf that I haven't quite managed to fill yet.
Is there an author you look up to? Or had an influence on your craft?
Definitely Sir Terry Pratchett.
As a non-native speaker, I have always been mesmerized by his command of the English language. I simply wish I could wield words the way he did. While I may never reach his level of linguistic wit and playful elegance, his unique usage of English has always been my greatest fascination and inspiration
How would you describe your craft in one sentence
I am a non-finction writer.
My craft is making the invisible forces of human motivation visible, tangible, and manageable for everyone.
At The Dreamer's Bookshop, we embrace diversity and advocate for invisible illnesses. How do you feel about those topics? Do you include messages in your writing?
These topics resonate deeply with me. In fact, my book’s title, The Inner Fire Made Visible, reflects this exact mission. Burnout is widely considered an invisible illness—people often suffer silently while appearing 'fine' on the outside until they collapse. My writing is dedicated to making the invisible internal drivers of motivation—and the burnout caused by their absence—visible and understandable.
My goal is to validate that mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion is real and closely correlated with internal motivation, while offering tools to heal before it’s too late.
I am also a strong advocate for diversity, especially diversity of thought and internal motivation. My book teaches that there is no 'normal' way to be or to work; we are all wired differently. By using Motivational Maps, I encourage leaders and individuals to embrace these differences instead of judging them.
My message is simple: true inclusion starts with understanding and respecting what drives each person uniquely."
Do you have red lines when it comes to writing/reading?
Yes. My absolute red line is passivity and the belief that 'this is just how it is.'
I am not willing to believe that we are powerless. In my writing and coaching, I stand for the idea that we have the power to reignite our inner fire in any situation. I dislike content that suggests we should settle for a life that drains us. Instead, I focus on how we can reshape our reality to let our internal energy source burn at its brightest.
On a stylistic level, my red line is dry, academic theory without heart or practical application. I struggle to read books that are written about humans but feel completely disconnected from human emotion. In my own writing, I make sure never to hide behind jargon. I always find a way to explain a concept simply and make it relatable to the reader's real life."
Was there a review that touched you more than others?
The review that touched me the most came from James Sale, the creator of the Motivational Maps® methodology himself. When he read my work, he wrote:
"This is a fabulous book by Zsuzsa Czagler, and I would say that aside from my own primary source books in the Routledge series, this is almost certainly the most detailed, comprehensive and best work on mapping motivation currently available. There are many things to praise about it:
• her candid self-assessments;
• the range of related topics covered (NLP, the work of Dr David Hawkins, Reiki, psychometrics, Milton Erickson, et al);
• the in-depth exploration of motivational mapping in a wide range of contexts (eg appraisals, teams, coaching etc);
• the brilliant and sometimes innovative use of graphics (eg satisfaction scores superimposed on motivational bar charts);
• the thorough, fascinating and detailed case studies that are extremely illuminating;
• and even the fun factors as we near the end of the book (eg Maps for Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny!).
On top of all this, Zsuzsa is not frightened of stepping outside the strict parameters of Map lore, as it were: we tend to avoid talking about home factors in the map work environment, but Zsuzsa rightly points out: "sexuality love children can override all workplace topics in an instant”. Absolutely.
So, if you want a really roller-coaster and expert ride on Motivational Mapping this is certainly the book for you; it is already a Hungarian classic, and perhaps soon will be an English-speaking one too."
This meant the world to me. As an author writing about a specific methodology, receiving such high praise and validation from the creator of it was the ultimate confirmation that I had succeeded in adding real value to his legacy.
If someone asked you why you write, what would you answer in one sentence?
I write to prove that burnout is not a destiny but a navigational error in how people treat their own internal motivational energy, and to give people the map to find their way back to their inner fire.
Which book are you most proud of and why?
I am most proud of my English language release, The Inner Fire Made Visible.
Why? First, because I dared to step out of my native language and venture into the world market. Secondly, because it bridges the gap between invisible internal emotional and thought processes and everyday behavioral reality. It’s not just a book to read, but a manual to use—it genuinely helps people save themselves from burnout and become motivated, energized, and happier. Thirdly, seeing it become an Amazon #1 New Release globally (after the original Hungarian version won the 'Coaching Book of the Year 2024' award) proved to me that the world is truly hungry for this knowledge.
What would you tell an aspiring writer?
Follow your Inner Fire and trust that it will always give you the necessary energy so you never have to give up on your dreams.
What's a wish you have for yourself as an author?
I wish for my work to become a timeless resource—a manual that people will still turn to 50 years from now when they need to understand themselves and reignite their passion.
What's a wish you have for yourself as a person?
My wish is to always practice what I preach: to have the wisdom to nurture my own Inner Fire every single day. I want to live a long, healthy, and energized life, serving as a happy, proactive example for my daughters
Do you have a message for your audience
Whenever you don't feel in your element at work or in life, please stop believing that you are 'lazy' or 'not enough.' You are not broken; you are likely just trying to run on the wrong fuel. Be kind to yourself. Take the time to discover what truly drives you, because once you align your work and your life with your inner motivators, everything changes. Your Inner Fire is not gone—it is just waiting for you to find it again
