Blanks before redefined heads not working in ConTeXt

Question

As you can see in the following code, I am trying to put some blank space before the heads I have redefined, yet as shown by grid, no blanks are being shown.

\setuppapersize[A5]

\setupindenting[always,small,first]

% Chapters
\define[2]\CustomChapter{\dontleavehmode\framed[frame=off,width=broad,align=center]{#1.\\#2}}

\setuphead [chapter] [after=\blank[2*line]},before{\blank[line]},command=\CustomChapter]

% Author's note and closing should have a blank line before title and two after
\setuphead [title] [after={\blank[2*line]},before{\blank[2*line]},command=,align=middle,incrementnumber=list]

\showgrid

\starttext

% Author note
\starttitle[title={AUTHOR'S NOTE}]This is a note from the author.\stoptitle

% Chapters with Prologue and Epilogue
\starttitle[title={Prologue}]This is the Prologue.\stoptitle
\startchapter[title={One}]This is Chapter One.\stopchapter
\startchapter[title={Two}]This is Chapter Two\stopchapter
\starttitle[title={Epilogue}]This is the epilogue\stoptitle

% Closing Comments
\starttitle[title={CLOSING COMMENTS}]These are closing comments.\stoptitle

% Table of contents
\setupheadtext[content=CONTENTS]
\completecontent[criterium=previous]

\stoptext

Answer 1

You have typos in you code. The correct syntax is before={\blank[...]} (in your code the = is missing).

But more importantly, TeX ignores \vskip (which is what \blank is internally) at the top of the page. To get blanks at the top of the page, use \blank[force,line] etc. (i.e., add the keyword force). Here is a minimal example:

\setuppapersize[A5]

\setupindenting[always,small,first]

\setuphead
    [chapter]
    [
      after={\blank[2*line]},
      before={\blank[force,line]},
    ]

\setuphead
  [title]
  [
    after={\blank[2*line]},
    before={\blank[force,2*line]},
  ]


\showgrid

\starttext

% Author note
\starttitle[title={AUTHOR'S NOTE}]This is a note from the author.\stoptitle

% Chapters with Prologue and Epilogue
\starttitle[title={Prologue}]This is the Prologue.\stoptitle
\startchapter[title={One}]This is Chapter One.\stopchapter
\startchapter[title={Two}]This is Chapter Two\stopchapter
\starttitle[title={Epilogue}]This is the epilogue\stoptitle

% Closing Comments
\starttitle[title={CLOSING COMMENTS}]These are closing comments.\stoptitle

% Table of contents
\setupheadtext[content=CONTENTS]
\completecontent[criterium=previous]

\stoptext