Chapbooks/Books (Press)

Your 2026 poetry submission horoscope – guest post by Kallie Falandays

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Y’all, 2026 is supposedly not a normal year from an astrological perspective. Neptune enters Aries on January 26th for the first time since the 1860s. Saturn follows in February. These two planets then meet on February 20th—a conjunction that hasn’t happened in Aries for centuries. (Chani Nicholas calls this year “packed with pivotal transits” and she might be underselling it.)

I honestly have no idea what that means for real, but it does signal that we need to get loud. To submit the weird thing. To burn down what isn’t working and build something truer.

The listings below include several for poetry manuscripts with some lit mags sprinkled in, and most presses do include reading fees, however there is at least a couple of no fee listings for each horoscope!

Go forth.

ARIES — the one who submits before they’re “ready”

your themes: urgency, confrontation, the body in motion your edge: you don’t flinch. judges remember that.

2026 is for you. Looks like Neptune and Saturn enter you sign, and Chani says it’ll bring a growth spurt. Self-care is the work you have to focus on, but play is going to be a big part of your year too. When Jupiter enters Leo in June, it kicks off a year of getting luckier by going after what you want. Submit the manuscript that scares you. Don’t over-edit the wild parts.

Best 2026 targets:

TAURUS — the one who polishes until it gleams

your themes: embodiment, sensuality, slow knowing your edge: judges trust your control. they can feel you know what you’re doing.

big news: Chiron enters your sign on June 19th—Chani’s forecast notes this brings “a once-in-50-year opportunity to get serious about your healing.” Your poems about the body, about wounds, about what endures? They’re especially charged this year. When Jupiter enters Leo in June, it brings sweetness to your intimate creative circles. Line-level polish wins you contests. Slow down and perfect the arc.

Best 2026 targets:

GEMINI — the one with three manuscripts and no favorite

your themes: voice, intellect, the trick and the reveal your edge: agility + originality. you’re never boring.

Uranus re-enters your sign in April and stays until 2032/2033, shaking up your sense of self in the best way. Your financial creativity gets a jolt too—mixing it up is your key to success this year. Make the manuscript feel intentional, not scattered. A smart TOC matters more than you think.

Best 2026 targets:

CANCER — the one writing the family’s untold story

your themes: lineage, grief, home, what haunts your edge: emotional coherence. readers trust you to take them somewhere real.

Jupiter is in your sign through June—this is abundance time. Venus trines Jupiter on February 22nd, bringing sweetness to relationships and creative flow. Mercury retrogrades through your sign June 29–July 23, so avoid major submissions then. Ordering is everything in your manuscript. Lead readers gently, but don’t protect them too much.

Best 2026 targets:

LEO — the one whose poems enter the room first

your themes: presence, desire, performance, wanting to be seen your edge: memorability. judges won’t forget you.

your keyword for 2026 is “release.” Chani’s forecast says it plainly: Jupiter enters Leo in June—this happens once every 12 years. When the South Node enters Leo in July, you’re letting go of habits that drain you. The August eclipse in Leo tests you, so under-schedule yourself. But this is your year to shine. Strongest poems first. Editors decide fast.

Best 2026 targets:

VIRGO — the one who checked the submission guidelines twice

your themes: restraint, rigor, clarity, the small thing that holds your edge: judges notice your control. they trust your craft.

The March 3rd lunar eclipse in Virgo is asking you to release what doesn’t serve. This is the continuation of a series that’s been teaching you about boundaries and service. Double-check your formatting. Consistency wins trust. But also? Let yourself be a little less perfect.

Best 2026 targets:

LIBRA — the one who makes the difficult thing beautiful

your themes: relationships, ethics, beauty as argument your edge: emotional intelligence. you understand the reader.

Venus retrograde moves through your sign in late October into November—reassess relationships, partnerships, and how you present yourself. April 1st brings a Full Moon in Libra: perfect for finalizing that manuscript you’ve been sitting on. Sound and pacing matter more than shock.

Best 2026 targets:

SCORPIO — the one who writes what others can’t say

your themes: obsession, transformation, taboo, what survives your edge: intensity. nobody does commitment like you.

Venus retrogrades through your sign starting October 3rd—Chani says this means some “clothes might feel weird, your haircut seems off.” It’s temporary. The Venus cazimi on October 23rd brings clarity. Meanwhile, Jupiter in Leo from June brings recognition for your public-facing work. Cut the ornamental. Keep the wound.

Best 2026 targets:

SAGITTARIUS — the one asking the big questions

your themes: meaning, travel, belief, the search itself your edge: vision. you see the whole map.

May 31st brings a Full Moon in your sign—good energy for releasing or completing a project. Jupiter’s move into Leo in June lights up your 9th house of publishing, higher learning, and reaching wider audiences. Clarify the “why” of the book—judges respond to stakes.

Best 2026 targets:

CAPRICORN — the one treating this like a career, not a lottery

your themes: labor, time, authority, what you’ve built your edge: career readiness. you understand the long game.

New Moon in your sign on January 18th—set your intentions. Venus opposes Jupiter on January 9th, which might create tension between what you want and what you have, but use it as information. June 29th brings a Full Moon in Capricorn: time to complete, release, or celebrate a project. Treat this like a publication strategy, not a lottery.

Best 2026 targets:

AQUARIUS — the one rewriting what poetry can be

your themes: systems, futures, innovation, collective dreaming your edge: originality. you see what others don’t.

Chani Nicholas says 2026 brings you “a major energy boost” you haven’t seen in close to two decades. Pluto cazimi on January 23rd. Mars conjoins Pluto on January 27th. The February 17th solar eclipse in your sign brings shocks and surprises—stay open to insights. The North Node enters your sign in July: you’re hungry for something new. Give readers a handrail—clarity strengthens experimentation.

Best 2026 targets:

PISCES — the one who writes from the in-between

your themes: liminality, grief, spirit, what can’t be named your edge: lyric immersion. you take readers somewhere they can’t go alone.

Chani Nicholas’s 2026 forecast: “2026 is conspiring to make those famous dreams of yours a reality.” The Saturn-Neptune conjunction in late February brings your inspiration to an all-time high. Mercury retrogrades through your sign February 25–March 20 (avoid major submissions). The August 27th lunar eclipse in Pisces is the last one in this series—release what no longer fits. Arrange the book like a dream—entrances and exits matter.

Best 2026 targets:

Bonus: See Trish Hopkinson’s list – Chapbook publishers (no fee)

astrological sources: Chani Nicholas, 2026 Yearly Horoscopes — https://www.chani.com/this-year/horoscopes Chani Nicholas, “The 7 Major Shifts Happening in 2026” — https://www.chani.com/blogs/the-7-major-shifts-happening-in-2026 Chani Nicholas, Astrological Key Dates of 2026 — https://www.chani.com/this-year/key-dates/astrological-key-dates-of-2026

Kallie Falandays is not an astrologer, but she does offer submission courses over at Tell Tell Poetry, along with free resources, DIY publishing guides, and poetry publishing support. She loves you.

If you notice an error or would like to submit a request, email hello@telltellpoetry.com with POETRY HOROSCOPE UPDATE. She’ll get back to you after her New Moon ritual.

https://telltellpoetry.com

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Categories: Chapbooks/Books (Press), Contests (No Entry Fee), Electronic Lit Mag/Journal, Guest Blog Posts, International Lit Mag/Journal, Online Lit Mag/Journal, Paying Submission Calls, Self-taught MFA, Year Round Calls

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