Quotations

I might be quoted in a local newspaper later this week about the policy paper I wrote on the citizenship amendment bill. A reporter from the Cape Argus called the boss this afternoon looking for story ideas and he mentioned the policy paper. The reporter was interested. So after this conversation, the boss asked me to write up a short statement on the paper so that the reporter would have one or two quotes from me for the article. It took me about an hour to write two sentences. The writing process went something like this:

• Write a 75-word sentence that uses the word 'citizenship' four times and includes three clauses.
• Look at the Christian Science Monitor's photos of the day.
• Go back to the sentence, after being asked by the boss how much longer it will take, and delete half of it. Write a second sentence that uses the word 'citizenship' an additional two times.
• Look at the top news in my Facebook feed.
• Go back to the sentences because the boss asks me again how much longer it will be. I tell him I don't know what to say and ask for guidance. He starts talking about refugee children. I zone out after the first minute.
• Delete everything I've written. Write two sentences that only use the word 'citizenship' three times total. Send to the boss for feedback.
• Discuss the two sentences with the boss. He likes the second sentence, but thinks the first one needs work. We both edit the sentence out loud at each other and then on computers. He sends me his edited version. I edit it some more. 
• Finish.

Not the most effective process, but it got the job done. Eventually.

I feel much more comfortable being in a position of quoting someone instead of being the person providing the quote. But the boss was adamant that I be quoted and included in the article. While I feel awkward about serving in the role of spokesperson, it's nice to have my work acknowledged and see the issues discussed in the policy paper being brought into a more public space.