This week, the QC begins again. The QC– or Query Challenge– is an attempt by members of one of my freelance journalism groups to motivate each other to market ourselves. Twice a year, we form teams and compete with each other to earn points. A marketing effort gets 1 point, a sale gets 3. On average, over 60 of us, which includes a mix of best-selling authors, contributors to major national and international magazines and newspapers, and journalists from several different countries, pitch our butts off for eight weeks.

Each team forms Yahoo groups to communicate and we usually end up forming lasting relationships, egging each other one for that one extra point, that one reprint sale, that extra assignment. It’s great motivation. In the end, no matter whether your team wins or loses, you’ve surely won by making those extra sales.

We share tips, we share markets and resources, we let each other know which editors are buying and quickly. It’s a great support system, and for those eight weeks, no matter what else is on our plates, we’re very focused about our marketing.

My income usually doubles.

The frozen accounts of publications seem to be slowly thawing. Summer is finally here. I’m using this time to send out letters of introduction and see which editors are getting ready to start assigning again.

How are you marketing yourself?