Natalia Iwanek Editing

Hello and welcome, friends! I’m Natalia, a Canadian copy editor, stylistic editor, and proofreader.

If you’d like to learn a bit about me and my editorial background, allow me introduce myself. Hi! I’m Natalia, a freelance Canadian copy editor, stylistic editor, and proofreader. (Sample edits are available to see if this working relationship is a good fit).

I focus on romance (including queer romance), science fiction, horror, and mystery genres. 

Additionally, I specialize in plain language, inclusive language, accessibility services and offer sensitivity reading on a variety of topics to ensure the authenticity of your manuscript. 

But who is Natalia, really?

As a lifelong learner and admirer of language nuances and quirks (I’m a big fan of collective nouns, idioms, the semi colon, the em dash, and the serial comma), copy editing, stylistic editing, and proofreading always seemed to be what I was destined to do.

Specifically, I would say that my editing journey began many years ago, from an absolute love of reading and writing to extensive time spent in various geographical locations (Guatemala, Mexico, Argentina, and Poland). Indeed, these experiences granted me a deeper understanding of grammar and syntax, a greater comprehension of the evolution of linguistic hybridity, especially in diasporic and equity-deserving communities, an appreciation of the concepts of code-switching and cultural frame switching—and the opportunity to speak several languages, including English, Spanish, Ukrainian, and limited working-level Polish.

Editing background

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I pursued an educational background in English Literature and Political Science. An unlikely combination? Well, possibly. However, I bring this dual focus to my editing process each day. Language is never neutral; it is nuanced, ever-evolving, and often, tied to historical and political processes.

The fact that I enjoy these nuances of language is an understatement. For this reason, I also hold Certificates in Editing and Plain Language, extensive professional development and certificates from Canada, US, and UK-based editing organizations, such as Editors Canada, Editors Toronto, ACES: The Society for Editing, the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), and the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), as well as considerable training in inclusive (or conscious) language and accessibility.

Additionally, as a Canadian copy editor, I hold long-time membership with Editors Canada and ACES: The Society for Editing, and I am a long-time volunteer for Editors Canada and Editors Toronto. I received the Editors Canada President’s Award for Volunteer Service in 2021 and 2020.

Currently, I serve as the assistant to the editor-in-chief of BoldFace blog, the official blog of Editors Toronto. Previously  I served on the Editors Canada Marketing and Communications Committee, Nominations Committee, Student Relations Committee, and the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Task Force.

On a personal note

Finally, on a more personal note, you can often find me reading (yet another book on my never-ending to-read list), cooking and baking (anything wrapped in dough), watching old movies (the Golden Age of Mexican cinema and 1950’s sci-fi!), travelling (preferably to the desert), taking photos (of old buildings and other people’s pets), and sharing my love of collective nouns and random facts.