We recently interviewed the political essayist and real estate writer, D. Sidney Potter, who talks about his recent book ‘The Essayist: Reflections from a Real Estate Survivor’.

US Mag : Tell us briefly about your recent book ‘The Essayist: Reflections from a Real Estate Survivor’?

D. Sidney Potter :

In short, I travel by car (a la’ writer poet Jack Kerouac from his famed book, On the Road), to over a dozen cities during a five-year period. I write in essay form about the real estate bust while working as a mortgage operations consultant for Fortune 500 companies like Wells Fargo, CitiGroup, Deloitte & Touché and Accenture. I take hard punches at the banking industry, while criticizing the American populous in its naiveté in so willingly drinking the poisonous Kool-Aid, known as subprime mortgages.

US Mag : What motivated you to write this book?

D. Sidney Potter :

It was written over a five-year period. When I started the process I was unaware that it would maturate into a book of essays. But after the second or third year of having written dozens of articles and essays, it strike me that I could aggregate this trove of work into something useful — in my opinion at least. Ideally others will see that as well. At least that’s the idea.

US Mag : Who or what inspired you to become a writer?

D. Sidney Potter :

It’s a constructive outlet. You either write or walk. It’s a put-up or shut-up mantra.

US Mag : Your book is written for any particular kind of people?

D. Sidney Potter :

Not to sound too snarky, but it’s written for the human race.

US Mag : Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

D. Sidney Potter :

Typically I do not read reviews. Especially in this day and age when anyone with an internet connection can anonymously submit their opinion with complete anonymity. Without the identity of who is writing, it doesn’t make sense to attribute credibility to the reviewer.

US Mag : Does writing energize or exhaust you?

D. Sidney Potter :

If it’s an emotional topic, then it can be exhausting — if for no other reason that you’re trying
your best to add to your literary portfolio.

US Mag : Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

D. Sidney Potter :

I try more to be original, then otherwise what’s the point! There’s also a diminishing return on that methodology, since as a writer you start to second guess yourself if what you’re thinking is actually original, since surely someone before you likely had the thought brewing within the confines of their skull long before you did.

US Mag : Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

D. Sidney Potter :

Don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question like that before, but here goes. The short answer, no. And that is that the emotionality of writing is what makes it good. I can’t imagine a heartless person churning out a book that people actually love. On the other hand, if you’re hired staff and you write technical books for a medical device company, then being void of emotions just might be perfect.