DAY FIVE of a writer’s diary

Ryan Clement

TODAY saw the completion of Day Six, which leaves me with just Day Seven to finish off. Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now! I SHALL FINISH THE BOOK by Saturday (Ironically, Day Seven will be completed on Day Seven of a writer’s diary – tempting as it is to say otherwise, it wasn’t by design). If you recall, earlier in the week I was joined by two happy birds who assured me on Day THREE of a writer’s diary that it was going to be a Lovely Day This time I had a lovely view from my room/balcony a of person paragliding, 🪂 who was much braver I, flying by (as one does!) over the Aegean Sea 🌊

SOMETIMES I write a piece and edit it before writing the next. I did that for Days One and Two to ensure that the foundation of the book was solid enough upon which to build and write the rest of the week, brick by brick. Happy with those Days, I then switched to writing the rest of the book, and then I shall edit ALL (including Days One and Two) at the end slowly and meticulously, before the final proofread by my editor. That reminds me, I did a proofreading course many years ago and got a certificate for it. If only I knew where it was. Anyway, although, I don’t particularly enjoy the editing part – I wrote the book. I know and wrote the beginning, the middle and I know how it ends. As George Michael wrote and sang, “I wrote the song, I know it’s wrong.” Well, my parallel is, I wrote the book, I chose the words… Ok! It’s not quite the same (not even close), but, having seen George in concert at Wembley when he was joined on stage by, “Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Elton John,” I’m writing a blog that tenuously seeks to make some connection. After all, I wrote blog, I know blog… 😊

THEREFORE, for me, editing projects that I wrote of length can be somewhat boring (Like Father, Like Son is over 100,000 words, which I read over and over and over again during the editing process. By the end I had pulled all my hair out, which has since refused to regrow in fear of being wrenched out again during editing future projects!). But I accept that it is a major and significant part of the writing process. It enables me to capture quickly what’s on my mind before I polish the manuscript but try to keep it as true to my original thoughts as possible (usually the original thoughts are the best because they seek to ‘keep it real!‘) unless there are good causes for doing otherwise.

WATCHING THE LION KING on the big screen, lying comfortably under the evening and night stars, and on a sunbed placed strategically on the white sandy beach 🏖️, hearing the waves 🌊 of the sea singing happily in the background, tunefully accompanying the soundtracks of the movie was bliss. A plane ✈️ would frequently fly quietly (or occasionally not so quietly) over on its way to Kos “Ippokratis” International Airport. I believe “Ippokratis,” but I stand to be corrected, is likely to be a translation of the Greek name Ἱπποκράτης,’ which I am informed (I’m hesitant to say reliably informed) is commonly known in English as Hippocrates who, as we all know 🤔, is the father of medicine. However, I shall be happy to be enlightened by the more erudite among us. Notwithstanding this, according to ancestry.com

The name Hippocrates is derived from two ancient Greek words: hippos, meaning horse, and kratos, meaning power or strength. This etymology reflects a connotation of vigor and resilience, characteristics often associated with horses in ancient cultures. Hippocrates is most famously known as the Father of Medicine, due to his profound influence on the practice and ethics of medicine. His contributions extend beyond clinical practices, encompassing the importance of observation, diagnosis, and ethical standards in medical practice. Hippocrates of Kos, who lived around 460-370 BC, is a pivotal figure in ancient medicine.