Pro edit service? Hire history expert? (cuz I sux)

[A.REX]

Got a professional critique on my hist-fict manuscript today in the mail... at least it wasn't all bad.
Who am I kidding, it was so brutal I was embarrassed. So I'm considering if it's worth it to pay someone (Does a professional editing service offer such a thing) to read my manuscript and check it for historical fact errors.

Sure, you could say, write what you know about, or do more research... but yeah, I thought I had done the research and did know! The subject itself is difficult to find facts on, as well as being debatable facts.

The novel is 18th C. Historical sea fiction. And I think Long John Silver himself edited my work because he knew more about nautical seafarring, ships, sails and rigging, seamen, seagoing lore and speech than any person I've ever met, heard of, or of my critique reader group who all thought I was a pretty salty dog.

So where does one find, or hire, an expert? I sure don't know any... hell, I thought I was one:Shrug:

[Jonny Ryan Mac]

Like the village people, look for the closest naval station or an olf naval vet and pick his mind clean. But a few rounds at the VFW and tell him youll thank him the back of your book, which you would.
We, as authors. seldom work alone. Finding people to help you is part of the fun. Its what makes us grow. And unlike maybe the air force, the navy is still deep in its traditions, he or she, will definatly help you. I know a navy guy i work with, Mark.Soper@garobi.ang.af.mil, hes an ex navy guy, van get you sorted out. Tell em that mac sent you and your writing a book, hell point you in the right direction.

[write4details]

Like the village people
LOL...is there an award for funniest opening clause?

Your seafaring chum just might have done some quick googling. So should you. And hit the library.
If you still need help, try working with a grad student or something...I doubt there are professional historical barnacle experts for hire.

One thing you notice in some books is a list of acknowlegements of just such help....Martin Cruz Smith obviously knows a hell of a lot about Russia, but he always has a list of people who clued him in. I remember (for some reason among all the more important things I forget) a Robert Ferrigno afterward line mentioning somebody who showed him how to clear the action of a MAC 10 sub-machine gun.

How far are you from the nearest marine museum where you can walk around the scuppers in person? I beleive there is one of those books like Skyscraper that has an extended, detailed guide to a sailing ship, a British 94 as I recall.

[A.REX]

no doubt, the village people opener is hilarious :D

well, after not being able to sleep well and hitting all of my collection of research books again I learned: maybe Editors don't know all they claim to know. My research was right. And between his opinion, and the books I have, I'll take the books word for it that my info was presented as fact.
What sux is, they hold the power and when he kicked it back I guess there's not much more I can do from now on is there...?

[write4details]

Hornpipe into his office and bitchslap him with a club-hauled marlinspike, matey.
No, there's not much place to go with it at that point. Proving him wrong will make him REALLY hate you. When editors are wrong...which is MOST of the time...they don't have to learn from it. Why they stay ignorant.

You probably can't go over his head or to anybody different at that house. You probably have to take it elsewhere. You might try zeroing in your marketing more closely. Identify similar books, see who published them, who were the agents, see if you can call up and find out what editor handled them.

Good luck.

[Cathy C]

Got a professional critique on my hist-fict manuscript today in the mail... at least it wasn't all bad.
Who am I kidding, it was so brutal I was embarrassed.
So where does one find, or hire, an expert? I sure don't know any... hell, I thought I was one:Shrug:

:Wha: When you say a "professional critique", A.Rex, how do you mean that? Did you pay for the critique or was it a professional editor who offered to look at it for you for free, or did you win it in a contest? If you paid for it, then the "opinion" should be backed up with resources that you can use to correct it. Remember that a lot of history texts disagree, so if your own research says differently, then find out what books the critiquer used. If it was a gift, take it with a grain of salt and move on. It may well be that the critiquer was full of . . . well, saltwater, and you need to find someone else to look at it. :)

[A.REX]

Thanks write4!
Guess I'll have to try another house.
Cathy, it was a contest win.

[Medievalist]

There's lots , and I do mean lots, of primary source material for 18th century seafaring stuff--diaries, memoirs, primary documents--lots. Try any of the various marine museums--mystic seaport, Plymouth, even go to your local public library and ask the reference librarian for help. Heck, it wouldn't hurt to read Jane Austen's letters!

[Nateskate]

That's why I chose fantasy. If I create my own universe, I'm never wrong about the facts. In fact, the worst I could be is inconsistant. But that's all explainable. In my universe, blue eyes turn brown every once in awhile, and time, and distance are relative, so if the journey is too long or too short, we can always blame the event horizons.

[Nateskate]

There's lots , and I do mean lots, of primary source material for 18th century seafaring stuff--diaries, memoirs, primary documents--lots. Try any of the various marine museums--mystic seaport, Plymouth, even go to your local public library and ask the reference librarian for help. Heck, it wouldn't hurt to read Jane Austen's letters!

You're the swiss army knife of friends, knowing a bit about everything. If you weren't so far away, I'd have been tempted to hire you as a book consultant.