My end of 2024, beginning of 2025, mood is one of, “I want to delete everything and start over.” I do this in my life with various things. Sometimes I regret, sometimes not. Instead of reactively giving in to the impulse, I decided instead to make a series of changes, some small, some big.

The Big One

We’ve ditched Wordpress and switched to Ghost. Too many reasons to elaborate. I’ll just say it’s a more better platform for what we’re trying to do. Wordpress is for publishing. Ghost is for building community. We shall see...

We’re not completely abandoning Wordpress, though. Issues 1-12 will remain online at the old domain (existotherwise.cc). All future issues will be housed at the new domain (existotherwise.com). Of course, the two sites will link to each other for continuity.

Design Changes

As you will see, we’ve got a new look for the website and the PDF journal. The new look is partly dictated by the limitations of Ghost’s customizability, but it’s also a move back to our original vision, which is to focus on the work more than the identity of the journal.

We've still got some tweaking to do, in particular with typefaces. This is one area where Ghost is limited. I'm satisfied with the current options, but I'm hoping to find a way to be more distinctive with type.

Fuck Art, It’s Photograph All the Way Down

For a few issues we were soliciting any kind of artwork, but we’re going back to photography only. We thought broadening the scope might bring us a few more visual art submissions, but it didn’t. So, wrong approach, so we’re going back to our original vision.

I doubt this will help, but we’re trying it anyway: From now on, we are increasing the payment for photographs from $15 to $20 (each). Sarcastic acknowledgement of the paucity goes here.

(I will put a little more effort into soliciting photography.)

Social Media

Twitter was good for us, until it wasn’t. We had been thinking of using Facebook, but nah, not going to. We have an Insta account, but we hate supporting Meta, so we avoid using it. Threads is a no-go. We’re on Mastodon, but you’re not.

Which leaves us with Bluesky. We’ve dipped a toe, and, beginning with Issue 13, we’re gonna spend more time there. I expect Bluesky will eventually enshittify, because at some point the millionaire investors are gonna expect their payout. When that happens, maybe Mastodon will be easier and friendlier.

The Meaning of (Our) Existence

Issue 13 is live a day early. It’s incredible. It’s eclectic. It’s personal. The range of contributor experience is vast (which we’re immensely proud of).

E.O. Membership

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