Gladys, do yo have e&o insurance?  Not for notary work but for abstracting?  it is a must to get work.  most companies will not give you work without it.
NC is hard to get work in some areas because it is my understanding, and i could be wrong if this has changed, i thought an attorney had to do the search or sign off on the search.  fees vary accross the state but an average is $50 for a current owner.  usually $25 for an update/record.  Now these fees can vary depending on how far you travel of course.
The market is busy bit not as crazy as it once was 2 summers ago.  Rates are steady and there are so many people doing searches now these days. 
The on line courses can get your feet wet so to speak  but they just can't teach you the different ways of each courthouse you may enter.  Is there someone you can work for to start to learn more?  That is truly the best way to learn.  Hands on will teach you more than any book ever can in doing searches.
Feel free to email me.  I hope this helped a bit.