In just a few days, on November 8, 2018, the planet Jupiter will enter the constellation of Sagittarius, meaning that, after twelve long years or roaming through other constellations, Jupiter will return home.

Born with the Sun in Sagittarius, I have been waiting for this day for quite a while, and in the meantime, I’ve been preparing diligently for the upcoming year of growth, big ideas, and rich experiences.

Because we can already find an abundance of articles about the Lucky Jupiter on the web and how its homecoming may affect different aspects of our lives, I decided to examine how its energy may affect artists. Jupiter in Sagittarius will open us up to travel and travel of the mind, bringing the unimaginable possibilities to all creative minds, but especially to storytellers.

Last time Jupiter was in its home constellation was between November 25, 2006, and December 18, 2007. Do you remember what that year was like for you?

For me, that was the best year of my life so far. The year when I knew exactly who I was, what I could accomplish, and what I wanted in the future. It was the year I launched my third book of poetry and prose fittingly titled In the Constellation of Sagittarius, which brought me an unexpected exposure in the media and opened to new and heretofore unimagined career opportunities. During that period, even though only 25-years-old, I was also very political, and I felt strongly about the widely spread but wrong perception of my home country. On my visit to Brussels, Belgium, I imagined how reinventing the image of my country would look like and I later made an effort to work toward my vision by creating a non-profit summer camp program for gifted high school students from rural and urban environments focused on (re)branding Serbia. The main objectives of the program were to educate young people about the national arts and culture and to coach them on how to use their creativity to produce witty and honest proposals for a fresh Serbian identity. Being able to see the greater picture and enthusiasm for rebuilding are essential traits of Jupiter in Sagittarius, so it came naturally to me to pull together all I was thinking and feeling into one project.

At that time, with my confidence boosted by Jupiter, I had no fear of taking big responsibilities, even if that meant taking care of fifty teenagers for two weeks away from their homes. My main goal was to return the exact number I welcomed at the camp, where (having in mind Jupiter’s urge for growth) I was more afraid of an unexpected addition than of coming back with fewer heads.

In the time when Jupiter supported me, I had no restraints in asking for what I wanted. As a published poet with a degree in philology, I thought that my dream job was of a copywriter in a well-known advertising agency. I was an intern in another agency a year before and got an idea of what my job might look like. Having Jupiter by my side, I didn’t wait for the opportunity but wrote a letter to the one agency I really wanted to work for. The fact that I didn’t get a response did not scare me but made me rethink the strategy. I waited for a few weeks and then went to a party where I heard the CEO of the agency would be. After I met her, I said I wished to learn from her. Not to work for her, but learn from her, showing both respect and eagerness to grow. She asked why I hadn’t sent my resume before, and when I said I had sent it, the very next day, they called me to join the agency.

What happened to me professionally twelve years ago is a typical example of employing Jupiter to work for you. In the constellation of Sagittarius, we want to go beyond our normal parameters of thought and behavior and open up to more creative ways of being and doing. So, if you are looking for a new job, don’t send out resumes and then sit and wait for an interview. Network instead. Make employers want to hire you because of your unique abilities and your point of view. Also, think of recommendations. Do you have friends who could assist you? Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Hustle a bit – it can’t hurt you now.

If you are a writer looking for an agent or a publisher, sending out query letters may not the best option to proceed. This is not the time to be a number in their slush pile. Instead, think of another way of attracting attention such as creating web content or visibility on social media that might attract people from the industry to see you, to want you.  The same rule applies to other arts. The best way to welcome new prospects is to grab them. Jupiter in Sagittarius is not willing to wait for the things to happen but ready to create opportunities instead. This planet in its home where it feels at its best is a go-getter. In 2019, the risks will pay off. Be courageous and optimistic.

I understand well that artists are seldom shy and not willing to promote themselves. But here comes the period when we will be both ready and comfortable to step under the spotlight.

Also, with Jupiter in Sagittarius, this is the time to get involved in the rights and wrongs of society. Jupiter in Sagittarius knows and feels deeply that there is more to life than our own drama or a mundane routine. It might be beneficial to your own healing and work if you volunteered for an organization you care about. In the constellation of Sagittarius, Philanthropy is an important word. How can you employ your art and your talents to make this world a better place?

Jupiter is associated with eagles. Eagles soar high and see a broad picture of the world. 2019 will teach us how to look at things from an eagle’s perspective. Look at your unfinished art projects, your book drafts, your screenplays or plays, or your yet forming ideas from a distance. Can you see the whole picture with clarity? Zoom out instead of zooming in. What is in the core of your work? What is the central vein of your story? Now try to re-envision your work to echo the heartbeats of your core idea.

Think BIG next year! Jupiter in Sagittarius will make us write important stories, make important movies, reinvent visual arts. In writing, we must lean on the Sagittarian skills and qualities such as honesty, open-mindedness, generosity, truth-seeking, enthusiasm, optimism. This is a time for candid and uplifting voices. This is a time for telling real stories about characters who went beyond what was possible. It is time we hear voices that are urgent and compelling and able to make a wave of joy and take others along for a wild surfing adventure.

This is not only a time to open to new experiences but also to new forms of storytelling and new media for publishing. 2019 might be the year of the death of the traditional ways. Something new and significant and groundbreaking might appear on the horizon. Make sure, my fellow storytellers, you’re ready and eager to jump on the new wave.

In addition, Jupiter in Sagittarius will open new opportunities and new forms of distance learning. If you are thinking of going back to school, this is the perfect time to do so, especially if you are considering low residency or online programs. If you are a teacher, new job openings may surprise you that involve teaching online or away from home.

Last time Jupiter was in Sagittarius, I met a guy who less than two years later became my husband. On our first date (in March 2007) he asked me if I would travel with him to southern France in May. He was serious about it, and I thought “what kind of a guy would ask a girl on their first date to join him on his travels?” Even though my husband dislikes astrology and opposes when I talk about it, he knew precisely how to court a Sagittarian girl. Just a mere thought of traveling together lit up a spark in my heart. And it still does. We traveled together quite a bit so far, we moved to another continent and had kids that are bilingual and lucky to have two home cities and two countries. And I am sure that through all the difficult moments we’ve faced so far, that very Jupiter that had brought us together, supported us with optimism and light.

This is a kind of a story that might happen to you in 2019. Jupiter in Sagittarius will bring you novelty: a new love, a new language, a new home, a new country, a new family member. Do not be surprised if it opens you up to certain transgressions. Always remember that Jupiter in Sagittarius expands the parameters of what was thinkable and sets new traditions.

If you are a fiction writer, give life to characters that will break boundaries, characters that think and live outside the standards of their culture. If you write non-fiction, this is a time to propose new ways of thinking, to introduce a different philosophy of life. Jupiter in Sagittarius operates in the realm of “what if”, where “if” under its influence quickly turns into “is”. On my agenda this year is to write a book that will blur the lines between memoir and fiction, love and desire, need and obsession from the perspective of a woman ready to challenge all the traditional and artificial limitations she has blindly respected thus far.

As a society, we are all more than ready for some novelty and optimism. Last year was emotionally a very hard one. Stuck in Scorpio, where it doesn’t feel good, Jupiter worked toward awakening our shadow side and trying to accept it. It was a period of facing past traumas again and realizing that we are more resilient than we ever imagined possible. Jupiter in Scorpio motivated female voices to stand up against the male supremacy, opening to a #MeToo movement that affected countless women and many, many female artists who used the immeasurable power of their words to awaken, support, encourage, and educate.

Now comes the time for rebuilding. For the explosion of creativity, the blast of confidence, the significant progress, and change. Also, this time around, Jupiter in Sagittarius will be particularly kind to female artists. What we were preparing for the last few years, what we’ve been struggling with, what we dreamed of… all our hard work and sacrifice will finally come to fruition. And because we have worked hard before, especially over the last couple of years, Jupiter in Retrograde that will rule from April 10 until August 11, 2019, will not hold us back. But, if you stumble upon hardship of any kind, convinced that your luck has turned, do remember that the only right way is through. With Sagittarian energy you will be more than ready to push through, find another entrance in if the main door is locked, and move beyond the limits.

If your rising sign, Sun or Moon are in Sagittarius, on November 8, 2018, begins the time of your life. Reinvent yourself: Opportunities are abundant, possibilities are now limitless. Embrace new projects, think of wild adventures, plan faraway trips, and fill your soul with joy and fun.

My fellow storytellers, write your ass off and send your work out. What good to the world your stories are if they remain in your head or inside electronic folders?