Must-Haves:

• A computer, though some editing (and most proofing) is still done via hard copy

• Familiarity with Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature

• Some website publishing knowledge (e.g., WordPress or Squarespace)

• A class on basic SEO

• A mentor, especially in the early days or when you hit a roadblock

Suggested Reading:

• Style manual of choice (I use The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition)

• Dictionary of choice (I use Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary)

• The Subversive Copy Editor by Carol Fisher Saller

• The Copyeditor’s Handbook by Amy Einsohn

• But Can I Start a Sentence with “But”?: Advice from the Chicago Style Q&A by The University of Chicago Editorial Staff

• Developmental Editing by Scott Norton

Optionals:

• a comfortable chair

• an ergonomic keyboard

• a wrist rest

• good tea

• a diffuser

• a sound machine

Also check Copyediting.com for classes on editing for all skill levels!