When I leave school I want to become a proof reader for unpublished novels. A friend once suggested that if I ever find a spelling / grammar mistake in a book I was reading I should email the editors / publishers to alert them, and use their replies as part of my CV. I recently found something, but I don't know how to write the email informing them of this, or where to send it.

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Look inside the cover of the book and find the editor(s)' and publisher's details, which should lead you to their website. In the email I would put the book's title, author and edition, the information about the editors etc and the page number and line in which you have found the error. Before you do make sure the book has not had another edition published in which the error has already been corrected.

No offense, but this isn't something you should put on your CV. Finding an error here and there does not a copyeditor make. You'll need REAL experience with it; try for an internship at a newspaper, magazine, literary agency, or publisher. I'd ignore your friend.