You can start small and build a reputation as a freelance editor --
Colleges and Universities
Visit your local college or university that offers doctoral-level programs, and post an advertisement on every bulletin board you can find announcing that you'll edit dissertations. Or consider placing a paid ad in the campus newspaper. Doctoral students have advisors to help them with content, but many hire editors for continuity, grammar, and punctuation. As a plus, many dissertations are published.
If you don't live in a city with a major university (and even if you do), you can post an ad on Craigslist.org offering your services. The site has a writers and editors category in its Services section. Also, keep an eye on Craigslist's Jobs section for people looking for editors. Students frequently post job requests for editors.
Neighborhood Newspapers
Does your neighborhood have a small, independent newspaper? Many do, and they usually operate on a shoestring budget with the publisher doing much of the editing. Offer to copyedit the newspaper free of charge for a few months. The publisher is likely to be grateful, and you'll earn some excellent experience and credentials.
Businesses
Contact local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and professional associations that are likely to produce various internal and external publications, such as newsletters and annual reports. Let them know that you're available to copyedit their publications if they don't have a staff editor. Try independent nurseries, veterinarians, computer stores, real estate companies, and craft stores. Any business that caters to hobbies or pets is a good prospect.
Historical Societies
Visit your local library or search online for historical societies in your city. Contact each one, and let them know you're available for editing at low (or no) cost. Historical societies are always publishing something, mainly because that's their purpose: to preserve the history of whatever is the focus of their group. They usually have Web sites that could use some editing, too.
Neighborhood Associations or Planning Groups
Many neighborhoods have organized groups that plan activities, advise on development, and raise funds for various projects. The possibilities here include Web sites, neighborhood guides, histories, newsletters, and cookbooks, to name just a few. These groups are always hungry for volunteers, and their publications desperately need good editing. Again, this would probably be a labor of love, but it's great experience and a solid credential.
Most neighborhood groups are registered with the city or county; check with your city or county clerk for listings.
Classes
Put yourself in a place where you'll come in direct contact with writers—writers who need editors. Even published writers continue taking classes for personal growth or to fine-tune their skills.
Writing and Book Groups
If you're a writer, join a writing group. These groups form for mutual critique and support, and eventually they all need editors. Even a book group can be a good source for editing prospects. When you hang around people who love to read and write, you're putting yourself and your services exactly where they need to be.
(Personal note: I started a writers' group that meets at the local library. In the two and a half years since the group began, five of the members have gotten published -- and had needed editing help.)
The above places are where you'll find your most promising prospects. And don't worry;
all you need is a couple of good, solid editing assignments to your credit, and then you can start pursuing the more complex jobs that will pay well. And you'll find editing projects advertised everywhere. Try newspapers, magazines, and Internet classifieds. Even mainstream publishers use freelance editors, and they often post ads on their Web sites.
-- from the ed2go online course,
The Keys to Effective Editing (which I took this spring)
donf, the course is for six weeks, two lessons a week, and would cost you $89 if you sign up through your local community college ($139 not through the community college). Most of the course is getting clear on how to edit; the last lesson is all about the business of doing it as a staff editor or freelancer. Here's a link to the course and a demo lesson --
http://www.ed2go.com/CourseDetails.a...=CW&tab=detail