September Horoscope

by serafima fedorova, poetry reader

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

You probably wouldn't be surprised to know that you share the same sign as Hermione Granger. Perhaps nothing really surprises you, my sweet, sweet perfectionist. Your organization skills will come in handy, since this month will be one giant alohamora spell for you. Doors opening, phones ringing. Eclipse season is starting, and you’d better keep on your feet, since September will be your month to shine! Time to take that workshop you’ve been dreaming about for the past year. Message that cute writer from the coffee shop last week. Anything is possible, Virgos.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

What do Fitzgerald, Oscar Wilde, and Shel Silverstein have in common? You’re both within and without, writing while doing your best to make your mark. Our best advice this month? Stay open. On the 9th, Jupiter, the planet of good fortune, will embark on its once-per-decade tour through your sign, a sign of good fortune. The unraveled screenplay under your bed? The half-written, scribbled poems on your phone? Believe, and they’ll come to life like you’ve never expected before.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Our dear tortured soul, how many great works have come out of your misery? Your past is your creative fuel, and like Plath, Atwood, Vonnegut, and Voltaire, you can be a bit of a Debbie Downer at times. But honestly? That complexity, those redeemable villains, and dark plot twists, keep us coming back for more. Reach out and you’ll be surprised who answers. This month, try to collaborate on some work.You’ll enjoy yourself much more in a group.And just letting you know that we love you. Even if you’re moody sometimes.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

It would be easy to say that you guys are the quiet ones…but that chill attitude doesn't fool us one bit. Your work always makes a statement. Humorous and dark, just like George Eliot, Emily Dickinson, and Mark Twain, you’re radical on the page but not so much in person. Take credit! Don’t hide your intentions and have a more positive approach towards your own endeavors. Be gentle with yourself and try to see both success and failure as steps towards a greater goal. This September, with Mercury in retrograde until the 22nd, you’ll definitely want allies, not competitors – keep that attitude in check!

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

We bet you’re tired of hearing about how stubborn you are. And yet, perseverance is what will get you places. You naturally accept leadership and easily lean towards editing and overseeing others’ writing projects. But don’t forget your own writing! This month, explore a little. Break form, grammar, make your own strange/beautiful work. Just for you. Take some time for yourself, find those words you’ve been looking for all your life. Tolkien and Salinger were in no rush, and look what they accomplished! You’re at your best when nobody’s watching.

Aquarius (January 20-February 18)

Your characters are alive and amongst us, they bind us together. But getting you to put pen to paper is an ordeal. Never mind actually getting you to produce a final draft. Eccentric and obsessive, you can spend weeks lost in the boundaries between music and language. But boy, are you perceptive. This month, try to channel that when receiving criticism. Freedom is most important to you, but trust that others have your best interests in mind when killing your darlings. Woolf, Wharton, and Walker didn't get to where they are by keeping all of their drafts exactly the way they started out.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Like Aquarius, you have an ear for wordplay. Your syntax and diction are almost melodic, and we wouldn't be surprised if you dabble in spoken word or song writing. But unlike Aquarius (who has twenty-five unsaved documents on their computer), you have an issue with resolutions. You’re never satisfied and can expand your plot into chronicles. This month, step back here and there. Sometimes, it’s best to let things go, as painful as it may be. That 7th main character itching the back of your brain? Scrap it. September is about compromise for you, and you’ll be all the better for it.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Late bloomers like you produce your best later in life. While everyone else will peak around you, keep steadily building up your portfolio. Trust your instincts. Yep, that line does sound as funny as the first few billion times you reread it and rewrote it. Take a leap of faith. Hey, go write a comedy sketch. Woeful ballads are so last season, and this month, start searching for the next big thing.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Oh yeah, you know you’re good. Other writers can’t understand how you can fire out those submissions like taking candy from a baby. For you, writing is like breathing, and once you get into it, so much can be accomplished. This month, be more adventurous than ever before. Like Adrienne Rich and Shakespeare, your prose can sometimes read like a game where you make the rules and we can only scramble to follow. Give yourself even more room to be self-indulgent. Thicken the plot, make the characters more complex, the setting more ridiculous. The more complex, the more we’re drawn in.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

In September, it’s time to take a retreat and a moment for yourself. On a daily basis, you’re always racing wild with intuition and fervor. But this month, step back. Emotions will be pouring forth in torrents. Tensions will be high. Try not to take it out on the people around you, and instead channel it in your writing. Keep a diary. Be truthful and open to yourself. It’ll produce some great writing. Do we feel a memoir coming along in the autumn air?

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You’ve always been the Jane Eyre of the party. Giving advice to those drunk on loneliness while your own feelings are screeching behind the plaster wall. This past month is about solitude. You’ve probably re-read “Sophie’s World” and “Catcher in The Rye” a few hundred times.Like a delicate creme brûlée, it’s time to crack the top layer and get to the good stuff. Open up to your peers, but be careful not to step on any toes! The Mercury retrograde might play with things in terms of communications here and there.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

It’s often easy for you to bite off more than you can chew. You’re ambitious, but remember that it’s okay to relax once in a while and gather inspiration. This month especially, you’ll feel September’s star-switch right down to your bones. Strengthened focus, always restless. Regain touch with your inner sensitivity. Let the tears pour while reading “The Little Prince” on the train to work. Criticism is only as an opportunity to improve yourself. Admit that you don’t read enough diverse literature. Our suggestions this month? “The Orphan Master’s Son” by Adam Johnson and “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” by Haruki Murakami.

#serafimafedorova #horoscopes