Kenoshamaensa
Well-known member
I just went through a major set of revisions for a novel, trying to drop word-count in order to make it sellable. Without going into a song and dance, publication of first novels (or a first novel in a new genre) is often as much about length (word-count) as quality. Even if you've been published before, you may have a project rejected. Hence, the major edit. I've been trying to drop wordcount.
Casting a horary for "completion" of novels is tricky, since one is nearly always niggling with them until they're sold (and often until they're in print). But I tend not to mess with every revision, only major ones. Unfortunately, I did not think to look at the time when I STARTED this project originally. (Bad astrologer) So I don't have an inception chart.
Below are three charts. One is my natal chart (I do look somewhat at the impact on and from my natal). The other two are charts, 5 minutes apart, for this most recent major edit. Why 2? It's the difference of the removal of a scene. It won't amount to a lot of words cut, but some. With the exception of the placement of the moon, not a lot is different.
Since there are a LOT of things that go into getting a book sold, I look at a lot of houses, but here is how I cut it up:
--7th/8th house are most immediately important, as they involve finding an agent to represent the work, so someone working in very close partnership and dealing with other people's (my) contracts and money.
--9th house of publication itself, but also 3rd house of communication
--5th house of entertainment
Significant from my own chart:
--9th house sits in Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter from the 3rd. This is my teaching/professorship, yes, but also could represent writing.
--Today, T-Sun sextiled my MC (career). T-Jupiter is sextiling N-Jupiter, which rules my MC, too (although obviously a longer transit).
POSITIVES (for both charts):
-- No void-of-course or via combusta moon, Rising not within 3* of either end, Saturn not in 7th (e.g., no blocks, chart can be read)
--Aries Rising, my significator is Mars -- which also rules the 8th house Scorpio (contracts and other people's money)
--7th house is Libra, Venus ruling
--Mars and Venus form a VERY tight (less than 6 minutes, cazimi) APPLYING conjunction IN the 7th house. (V isn't yet retro)
--This conjunction is virtually sitting on my own 9th house cusp in my Natal chart (2 degree difference).
--I'd read that as a pretty firm "This editorial version will secure an agent." Agree?
--5th house is Leo, Sun ruling
--The Sun forms a semi-sextile to the Mars-Venus conjunction from the 6th house (not sure Sun in the 6th is especially good, however).
--2nd house (money) is also ruled by Venus, suggesting successful sale?
--Both these seem to support the above.
--The Moon, which might be seen as my second significator, ruling the 4th house, forms a quintile to the Venus-Mars conjunction ... BUT...
*--It's placement differs, between charts. In both, it rules 4th, but is PLACED in the 5th in one, and in the 6th in the other. I'm thinking that would preference the chart/editorial version where the Moon is in the 5th?
--Also, the Moon's next (applying) aspect will be a semi-sextile to Saturn (ruling the MC). (The Moon is JUST separating from a semi-sextile to Mercury, but I don't read separating aspects. Here, it's probably indicative of the editing itself -- words, 3rd house, communication -- being complete.)
--Moon also makes a trine to Pluto, sitting in the 9th house. I'm not sure this is necessarily a good thing, but at least it's not a "hard" aspect.
NEGATIVES:
--I don't see as many; Jupiter placed in the 12th might act to protect from secret enemies. Saturn in the 6th ... suggests strain/constraints from my work (the main one that gives a paycheck)?
--Biggest issue is just that Sagittarius rules the 9th
--Jupiter is in the 12th house ... QUINCUNX the Venus-Mars conjunction. That suggests possible problem with securing actual *publication*? (E.g., an agent, but no publishing house?)
--Moon's final aspect before leaving the sign is an opposition to Uranus, the planet of (in this case probably unwelcome) surprises.
Additional thoughts? The chart looks very good for the immediate future and getting an agent. I'm not sure it looks as good for getting it published. It may require some sort of "adjustment" (Quincunx to Jupiter).
Casting a horary for "completion" of novels is tricky, since one is nearly always niggling with them until they're sold (and often until they're in print). But I tend not to mess with every revision, only major ones. Unfortunately, I did not think to look at the time when I STARTED this project originally. (Bad astrologer) So I don't have an inception chart.
Below are three charts. One is my natal chart (I do look somewhat at the impact on and from my natal). The other two are charts, 5 minutes apart, for this most recent major edit. Why 2? It's the difference of the removal of a scene. It won't amount to a lot of words cut, but some. With the exception of the placement of the moon, not a lot is different.
Since there are a LOT of things that go into getting a book sold, I look at a lot of houses, but here is how I cut it up:
--7th/8th house are most immediately important, as they involve finding an agent to represent the work, so someone working in very close partnership and dealing with other people's (my) contracts and money.
--9th house of publication itself, but also 3rd house of communication
--5th house of entertainment
Significant from my own chart:
--9th house sits in Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter from the 3rd. This is my teaching/professorship, yes, but also could represent writing.
--Today, T-Sun sextiled my MC (career). T-Jupiter is sextiling N-Jupiter, which rules my MC, too (although obviously a longer transit).
POSITIVES (for both charts):
-- No void-of-course or via combusta moon, Rising not within 3* of either end, Saturn not in 7th (e.g., no blocks, chart can be read)
--Aries Rising, my significator is Mars -- which also rules the 8th house Scorpio (contracts and other people's money)
--7th house is Libra, Venus ruling
--Mars and Venus form a VERY tight (less than 6 minutes, cazimi) APPLYING conjunction IN the 7th house. (V isn't yet retro)
--This conjunction is virtually sitting on my own 9th house cusp in my Natal chart (2 degree difference).
--I'd read that as a pretty firm "This editorial version will secure an agent." Agree?
--5th house is Leo, Sun ruling
--The Sun forms a semi-sextile to the Mars-Venus conjunction from the 6th house (not sure Sun in the 6th is especially good, however).
--2nd house (money) is also ruled by Venus, suggesting successful sale?
--Both these seem to support the above.
--The Moon, which might be seen as my second significator, ruling the 4th house, forms a quintile to the Venus-Mars conjunction ... BUT...
*--It's placement differs, between charts. In both, it rules 4th, but is PLACED in the 5th in one, and in the 6th in the other. I'm thinking that would preference the chart/editorial version where the Moon is in the 5th?
--Also, the Moon's next (applying) aspect will be a semi-sextile to Saturn (ruling the MC). (The Moon is JUST separating from a semi-sextile to Mercury, but I don't read separating aspects. Here, it's probably indicative of the editing itself -- words, 3rd house, communication -- being complete.)
--Moon also makes a trine to Pluto, sitting in the 9th house. I'm not sure this is necessarily a good thing, but at least it's not a "hard" aspect.
NEGATIVES:
--I don't see as many; Jupiter placed in the 12th might act to protect from secret enemies. Saturn in the 6th ... suggests strain/constraints from my work (the main one that gives a paycheck)?
--Biggest issue is just that Sagittarius rules the 9th
--Jupiter is in the 12th house ... QUINCUNX the Venus-Mars conjunction. That suggests possible problem with securing actual *publication*? (E.g., an agent, but no publishing house?)
--Moon's final aspect before leaving the sign is an opposition to Uranus, the planet of (in this case probably unwelcome) surprises.
Additional thoughts? The chart looks very good for the immediate future and getting an agent. I'm not sure it looks as good for getting it published. It may require some sort of "adjustment" (Quincunx to Jupiter).
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