Sunday, May 19, 2024

Making A Mark on Art: Musings on a move to Substack

While on my "Mega Spring Clean" Break, I've been mulling over whether to move forward with Substack.

Mainly in the context of the fact 

  • I've been writing Making A Mark on Blogger for over 18 years. I happen to like the platform and while I hope it continues, I do get concerned about the subscription side of things - which has effectively died for me
  • I've watched both James Gurney and Michael Chesley Johnson set up on Substack (and I'm happy to hear of any more of you who have made the move!) - I think for pretty much the same reasons as me.
  • I'm 70 later this year and I'd like to 
    • find a way to still write 
    • AND also be retired 
    • AND be able to find the time to do things I enjoy doing. 
    • you'll have noticed I now write fewer posts than I used to (and post more topical links on my Making A Mark Facebook Page
  • Plus I absolutely MUST put time and effort into staying healthy in the context of 
    • joints which are progressively succumbing to severe osteoarthritis 
    • which means a BIG chunk of every day is now dedicated to my daily walk - to avoid grinding to a complete halt as a completely stiff person 
    • AND I'm about to remind the hospital they promised me a shoulder replacement.
So overall, something along the lines of "less is more"!

This morning, I decided I'd better get on with making a claim to my brand name. 

Which is when I found some geek got there first! However I've been using Making A Mark on Art for a while so I've gone with that.

So the URL for my substack is https://makingamarkonart.substack.com/

I'm thinking maybe using my Substack for "perennial" topics

  • long form discussion posts
  • possibly trying out some posts about a subject I have in mind to write a book about and where I'd like to have a conversation with people about it as I go
  • ways of enabling access to the masses of very detailed stuff I've written in the last 18 years which needs "a front door"
  • developing a community - which seems to have happened already on Facebook - although I've never made it into a group
  • plus maybe periodic highlights of other substacks I've found interesting (remember when we used to have blog rolls - which is the main way I used to find people whose art and/or writing I liked?)
Which would mean 
  • I am NOT CLOSING DOWN this blog
  • Making A Mark will continue with more topical posts - things of the "here and now"
  • e.g. regular art competition / art exhibition posts will stay on this blog 
Plus I will also cross reference between the two sites.

Let me know what you think via my Facebook Page and/or by following my new substack publication.

Here are the relevant URLs:



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