Looking to get your name into a magazine? You need to be thinking ahead--way ahead. Magazines start planning their issues as much as six months before their publication date.

In January, when you are muttering about the expensive heating bill, magazine writers are penning tips about staying cool. In June, while you lie on the beach, they are researching the hot new Christmas toys.

If you call a magazine reporter in March with tax tips for April 15th, they will be more than a little bit annoyed. They finished their tax articles months ago and are working on back-to-school pieces.

When you have a story pegged for a specific date, contact magazine folks as far ahead of time as possible. They will respect your understanding of the magazine game.

Even daily newspapers and weekly magazines work well in advance. Though the facts of their stories may change as their deadline nears, the basic structure of most newspaper articles is established well in advance.

This is especially true of financial and business columnists who are your main target. They often write their pieces weeks or even months in advance.

If you come up with a story that is time-sensitive, don't sit on it. Contact a media person right away. It's hardly ever too early to plant a seed in their mind.