Crux Sola (Blog) has been retired
So: about a week ago, I decided to part ways with Patheos, where I had a blog (Crux Sola) for five years.
The backstory: I started a blog in 2007 (!), I was part of the second wave of bibliobloggers, at first it was short book reviews and insights into the life (and failings!) of a PhD student (me). I blogged in waves, quite a lot from 2007-2012, and then a significant drop off. But in 2019 I approached Patheos and they brought me onto their family of blogs. I liked the branding, the cross-promotion with their other theological blogs, and the money was a factor (it wasn’t much money in the end tho).
Fast-forward to 2023-2024: My blog was in major decline and neglect. To be honest, I got busy with book projects, and what I wanted to say “on the fly” I basically just said on social media (like FB and Twitter). But in late March/early April, a set of life circumstances led me to want to turn a new page in my life. So: Voila! “Engaging Scripture” Substack was born.
Why I decided to focus on Substack:
Part of the reason I decided to dive in was because my good friend AJ Swoboda started a Substack, and I’m never one to be outdone (just kidding!). He did inspire me.
Here are some other factors
A clean style of writing and great writer interface
No ads: that was huge. I got so many complaints about my blog ads. It was distracting and messy, and off-putting. No ads is the way to go.
Interaction: There appears to be a robust Substack community. I love that.
Email dispersion. It seems like people have different social media lanes, so it was hard to get blog content out to everyone. Duh: everyone has email. So email is a great way to get news and opinions to folks. Brilliant.
Clarity on who is reading: Substack provides clear information to me about subscribers, and great stats and metrics information.
Direct payment/personal support: I had an original plan to wait six months before doing limited/paid-only posts, assuming no one wanted to pay money for my posts, but immediately I got several paid subscribers, and my Substack writer friends tell me the paid supporters want full access and to encourage and lift up good writers. I’m honored! I love that money doesn’t need to go to and through ads.
Thank you, Patheos
I don’t have a personal beef with Patheos, I am appreciative of the partnership they provided for
several years. It was beneficial to both of us at the time, but I need a fresh start with something new. My blog (https://www.patheos.com/blogs/cruxsola/) remains archived at Patheos, I am happy with that arrangement. My work is still in the same place.
Thanks to Subscribers
Thanks for joining me in this new adventure. I have been posting a lot to attract initial base of subscribers, in May 2024 and following I will settle into a 3-4 posts a week rhythm. I am energized and excited for great conversations to come!
To let more people know about your new location on Substack, you might reach out to Phil Long to sign up for one of the monthly Biblical Studies Carnivals. Here’s more info: https://readingacts.com/2024/03/02/biblical-studies-carnival-215-for-february-2024/
I'm glad you've made this move. To be honest, it always bothered me that you didn't have a clean interface. The ads were very distracting and make it appear as writing that shouldn't be taken seriously.