Natalia Iwanek Editing

Natalia Iwanek HeadshotI’m Natalia, a Canadian copy editor, stylistic editor, and proofreader.

 

Editing Services: I offer copy editing, stylistic editing, and proofreading services for non-fiction and fiction.

Additional Services: I also offer inclusive language reviews, plain language reviews, accessibility, and sensitivity reading on a variety of topics to ensure authenticity.

 

A multilingual lifelong learner and reader

As a lifelong learner and admirer of language nuances and quirks, copy editing, stylistic editing, and proofreading always seemed to be what I was destined to do.

Extensive time spent in various geographical locations (Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina, Poland) has given me the ability to speak several languages (English, Spanish, Ukrainian, intermediate Polish, basic Russian); a deep understanding of language and linguistic hybridity; and an appreciation of global history and literature.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I pursued a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Political Science. For my final undergraduate projects, I focused on the intersection of colonialism/imperialism, hybrid languages, and Latin American literature, specifically in 

  • Traumatic Individual and Collective Memory in the Latin American Dictator Novel: Mario Vargas Llosa’s The Feast of the Goat and Gabriel García Márquez’s The Autumn of the Patriarch and 
  • Magical Realism’s “Macondo” to Contemporary “McOndo” in a Globalized World: Cultural Linguistic Hybridity in Giannina Braschi’s Yo-Yo Boing! and United States of Banana.

A multidisciplinary editor

I bring this dual focus to my editing process each day and while completing a Master’s in Spanish to English Translation. Language is never neutral; it is nuanced, ever-evolving, and tied to historical and political processes.

I also studied plain language, inclusive language, accessibility at various organizations in Canada, the US, and the UK.

  • Currently, I serve as the co-editor-in-chief of BoldFace, the official blog of Editors Toronto.
  • Previously, I served as the assistant to the editor-in-chief of BoldFace, as well as a member of the Editors Canada Marketing and Communications Committee, the Editors Canada Nominations Committee, the Editors Canada Student Relations Committee, and the Editors Canada Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Task Force.
  • As a longtime volunteer, I received the Editors Canada President’s Award for Volunteer Service in 2021 and 2022. 

A fan of snacks, facts, sci-fi, and cacti

Finally, on a more personal note, you can often find me

  • reading yet another book on my never-ending to-read list (the Latin American dictator novel; 1950s/60s hard and soft sci-fi, northern Mexican literature, Chilean literature, Argentine literature, Nigerian literature, post-colonial and decolonial literature/theory, dependency theory, and 1980s US foreign policy in Latin America),
  • watching old movies (the Golden Age of Mexican cinema and 1950s/60s 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.

Sample Edit.

Specific Skills

Education
  • Master’s of Translation (Spanish to English) – England – (currently enrolled)
  • Editing Certificate – Simon Fraser University. Burnaby, British Columbia
  • Plain Language Certificate – Simon Fraser University. Burnaby, British Columbia
  • Bachelor of Arts: English and Political Science (with Distinction) – Athabasca University. Athabasca, Alberta
  • Bachelor of Arts: International Relations – York University: Glendon College. Toronto, Ontario – (transferred after 1.5 years)
 Editing Professional Development
  • Fiction Editing Certificate – Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP)
  • Copy Editing Fiction Course – Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) (Lourdes Venard)
  • Editing for Conscious and Inclusive Language Course – Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) (Crystal Shelley)
  • Editing in Spanish Course – Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) (Misha MacLaird)
  • Editing Science Fiction and Fantasy Course – Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) (Shannon Winton)
  • Immersive Copy Editing for Science Fiction and Fantasy Webinar – ACES: The Society for Editing (Kristy S. Gilbert)
  • Peeking Through Your Fingers: Editing Horror Webinar – Editors Canada (Molly Topple)
  • Romance for Editors: Archetypes/Tropes/Genre Conventions Webinar – Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) (Megan Hennessey)
  • WordPress for Blogging and Web Design Course – George Brown College. Toronto, Ontario
  • SEO and Paid Search Course – George Brown College. Toronto, Ontario
 Editing-Specific Inclusion, Equity, Diversity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Training
  • An Editor’s Guide to Assessing and Addressing Problematic Content – ACES: The Society for Editing (Crystal Shelley) 
  • Microaggressions in Editing: Understanding Bias and Undoing Harm – ACES: The Society for Editing (Crystal Shelley)
  • Radical Copyediting: Prioritizing Care Over Correctness – Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) (Alex Kapitan)
  • Editorial Tools to Counter Sexism and Transphobia – Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) (Alex Kapitan)
  • Gender-Inclusive Editing: Becoming a Radical Editor – Editors Toronto (Alex Kapitan)
  • Anti-Islamophobia Editing: Using Inclusive Language and Plain Language to Counter Hate Speech – Editors Canada (Amber Riaz)
  • Tackling Antisemitism in Fiction – Editors Canada (Molly Rookwood)
  • Editing Slurs in Dialogue– Editors Kingston (Louise Harnby)
  • Trauma-Informed Editing – Editors Transform: Editors Canada Conference (Iva Cheung) 
  • Tips for Editing Genres That Include Violence, Suicide and Mental Illness – ACES: The Society for Editing (Karin Cather) 
  • Editing Indigenous Content: The Importance of Cultural Sensitivity and Respect – Editors Toronto (Kaitlin Littlechild) 
  • Balancing Cultural Sensitivity with Craft – Editors Toronto (Sangeeta Netha) 
  • Some of the Things You Wanted to Know about Alt Text – Editors Canada (Amber Riaz) 
Volunteer Experience
  • Co-Editor-in-Chief of BoldFace – Editors Toronto – September 2024-Present
  • English Conversation Partner – Toronto – November 2024-Present
  • Assistant to Editor-in-Chief of BoldFace – Editors Toronto – February 2024-September 2024
  • Contributor (Copy Editor and Writer) to BoldFace – Editors Toronto – 2020-Present
  • Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Task Force Member – Editors Canada 2021
  • Marketing and Communications Committee Member – Editors Canada 2021
  • Nominations Committee Member – Editors Canada 2021
  • Student Relations Committee Member – Editors Canada 2020-21 
  • Contributor (Writer) to The Editors’ Weekly – Editors Canada – 2020-21
 
Awards and Recognitions
Memberships and Affiliations
 
 
Speaking Engagements
  • Intersectional Activism in the Online Sphere – Ignite Change Conference for the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights (JHC). Edmonton, Alberta, January 2023
  • Nothing About Us Without Us: Accessibility, Accommodations and the Student Experience – AUSUnights. Edmonton, Alberta, July 2023
  • Nothing About Us Without Us: Accessibility, Accommodations in Student Leadership – CAUS Conference. Edmonton, Alberta, May 2023
 
Languages and Language Teaching Skills
  • Languages – English (Native), Ukrainian (C2), Spanish (C1), Polish (B1), French (A2), Russian (A1)
  • Teaching English as a Second Language (TEFL) Certificate – University of Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Toronto, Ontario (120 hours)
  • Advanced TEFL – Teaching Exam Preparation – TEFL.org Inverness, Scotland (40 hours)
  • Advanced TEFL – Business English – TEFL.org Inverness, Scotland (30 hours)
  • French Immersion Certificate – Université Sainte-Anne. Pointe-de-l’Église, Nova Scotia (125 hours)
  • Advanced Spanish Certificate – Escuela Sol Latino. Quetzaltenango, Guatemala (400 hours)
  • Intermediate Spanish Certificate – Ibero Spanish School. Buenos Aires, Argentina (300 hours) 
Contact Me.
Please feel free to contact me anytime to discuss your project further.