Exclusive Author Interview: Nancy Wagaman

Nancy Wagaman is the talented author of The Curious Dreamer's Dream Dictionary.  Today I share my exclusive author interview with Nancy. Wagaman shares how she began her writing journey and her goals for the future- enjoy!

Tell us a little about yourself...
 
I’m an author and consultant focusing on intuition and applied psychology for personal growth. This official bio explains more: “Nancy Wagaman is a personal-growth innovator whose techniques enable people to tap into deep levels of self for inner transformation and life improvement. Focused on the intersection of science and consciousness, her work springs from her years in R&D, applied intuition, and advanced degrees in applied psychology and communications. She is the creator of popular dreams website TheCuriousDreamer.com and has written extensively on applied psychology, intuition, and other personal growth topics.” Most recently, I’ve published the following books: The Curious Dreamer’s Practical Guide to Dream Interpretation and The Curious Dreamer’s Dream Dictionary (released December 4).

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Ok, this may seem weird, but… ever since the first time I diagrammed a sentence, I knew I loved words and writing. I began to see words as elements of literary architecture, building blocks of  grander things. I discovered there’s power in words - not just in the words themselves, but in the ways in which they’re put together. Every word may have its place in the grammatical structure, but when words are strung together “just so,” their effect can be magical.
 
Can you share your journey to becoming a published author?
My consulting clients had been asking me to write a book for years, and I already had many books sketched out. Once I chose a topic and started on it, the process unfolded organically, and before I knew it I arrived at the final draft. My dream books share information and techniques I’ve been using with clients for many years already, but had never written in an organized format. Now they’re available for everyone who’s interested in dreams.

What do you find to be the biggest challenge, as an author?
 
The learning curve for the writing process itself. For me, the biggest challenge was learning how many drafts it really takes to write something truly outstanding.
 
What do you find most rewarding, as an author?
 
Writing books offers the means to reach so many people. For me, book authorship is the complement to my one-on-one consulting - but it’s also an extension of it, since my books are written as if I’m talking directly to a client.

Share with us a daily habit of yours, that helps you reach your goals.
 
I stay engaged in the process: I make sure to do something on my project every day, even if I only have a few minutes to spare. When I stay engaged, ideas come to me at moments throughout the day, even when I’m doing other things. And on the days my brain just isn’t in writing mode, I do other things related to the project (email, brainstorming promo ideas, etc.).
 
What is one piece of advice you would share with an aspiring author?
 
Write because you love it or because it fulfills a need (yours, your audience’s, or your customer if you’re offering writing services). And don’t quit your day job until writing is already providing enough income to sustain you financially.

Finish these sentences:
 
I am most grateful for...
Would it be strange to say that I’m grateful for gratitude? Being thankful and appreciating the people and experiences in our lives...that’s so important, and it can be life changing.
 
If I could give my 18 year-old self one piece of advice it would be...
 
It doesn’t matter if you don’t know yet what you want to do with your life. There’s plenty of time. Besides, maybe your ideal career doesn’t exist yet. Or maybe you’ll end up doing more than one thing. These years count just as much as your later years, so make the best of them.
 
My favorite thing about being a writer is...
The flexibility. The fact that you can write anytime and anywhere. Standing in line at the store, while on a walk or in the shower…ideas can pop into your head at any moment.
 
My least favorite thing about being a writer is...
Like most writers, I’d say having to write when I’m not in the mood. But that’s just part of the writing process.
 
My goals for the future are...
Writing more on dreams and the subconscious mind, as well as writing more books that clients have suggested I write on other personal-growth topics.
 
I love living a creative life because...
Creativity connects us to a part of ourselves that’s filled with life, love, and enthusiasm. It’s one of the most reliable ways to become “more of who you are.” A creative attitude makes any aspect of your life more fun and can turn even the most mundane task into an adventure.
 
The last book I read was...
I have a goal catch up on a few classics I missed in earlier years, so I’m currently reading A Tale of Two Cities. Before that was a Mary Higgins Clark mystery. Her books are such great airplane reading because they’re such page-turners, the flight is over before you know it.
 
My favorite book, ever, is...
My favorites have always been the Anne of Green Gables series, but I think in recent years I’d have to say the Harry Potter books for their universal themes of friendship and courage.
 
Outside of writing, my favorite hobby is...
Music (for the heart) and DNA genealogy (for the mind).
 
The most important thing to do if you want to achieve your goals is...
 
There’s more than one “most important thing,” and they all work together: 1) Start by choosing a goal that’s right for you; 2) Stay focused on and energized about that goal; 3) Enlist support from others, such as asking for help and building a “cheering section” to encourage you through down-times.

A few more questions...
 
Tell us about your books (genre, where we can find them, etc.)
 
The Curious Dreamer books are dream interpretation guides for for personal growth, inspired by my popular dream website TheCuriousDreamer.com and years of client dreamwork. What’s different about these books is their hands-on, practical approach for discovering dream meaning and using it to improve your life. The books include:
 

The Curious Dreamer’s Practical Guide to Dream Interpretation
A “dream coach in a book” that walks you step-by-step through interpreting your dream, finding the value in it, and using it to improve yourself and your life. “You will become your own dream expert,” says one enthusiastic reviewer.

The Curious Dreamer’s Dream Dictionary
This dream dictionary unlocks the power of dream symbols with tips, tools, and 1500 symbols defined for personal growth. One reviewer exclaims, “This is the coolest book I’ve ever read about dreams!”

Stacey Ritz is a bestselling author and award winning writer. An empathetic and compassionate storyteller, Ritz wrote for a plethora of local and national news outlets, magazines, blogs, and websites (copywriter), prior to becoming a novelist. Her book, Covered in Pet Fur  has gained attention from RIVA Media and Animal Planet. She is the Executive Director and co-founder of Advocates 4 Animals, Inc. – a 501(c)3 non-profit animal welfare organization that has saved more than 11,000 lives (and counting). She currently resides in Ohio. Ritz is published through Rockville Publishing. You can interact with Stacey online via Stacey's Book Blog and on Pinterest,

Ritz writes the following genres:
Non-Fiction:
Motivation/Inspiration
Writing/Publishing
Animal Welfare
Fiction:
Love Stories

Click here to view Stacey's fiction books.

Click here to view Stacey's non-fiction books