Writing a magic book/making a magic DVD?

[Toby]

Hey guys,

I had couple of very serious people approach me about making a beginners magic book or a DVD in my language, for people to learn about magic, and magic tricks from. I would like to know what tricks and sleights are "mainstream"? Which one I can explain without being frowned upon by magic community, and how can I find out?
Ie. over hand shuffle, riffle shuffle, pinky break, double lift etc. for sleights. And let's say Chicago Opener, Biddle Trick, ACR, paddle move, riffle force, cross cut force etc. for effects?

Thank you!

 

[Craig Browning]

I'd strongly suggest you look at taking a couple of routes. One, is of course, writing your own How To book and to do this I'd take a look at some of the old give away books like 101 Tricks You Can Do and just bring them up to date a bit.

Oops, I Forgot This Generation May Not Know About Such Things. . .

For years magicians, especially those that focused on the kid market, gave away tricks and books in bulk some of which tipped well known routines like the Ball & Vase, Professor's Nightmare, etc. 101 Tricks You Can Do is one of the classics, many a mage having a front cover done with their name & image so as to allude to the idea that it was their own personal composition. If you wish to go stock and do so with such a book, translating it to a new language, I'd check with the publishing source to see if you can treat it as Mentalists do "Pitch Books" -- these are books penned by someone else but you can buy the printing rights to and public under your own name as if it is your own work (Richard Webster, John Riggs and others have penned several such texts).

If you want to deliver something of greater value, I'd get a copy of Bill Tarr's Now You See It; Now You Don't and get permission to translate it and do the same with Mark Wilson in regards to the Wilson Course. While you only get credit for translating these materials, the association will place your name recognition higher in the ranks within your nation. As you progress with shows and lectures as well as producing your own books & videos for your people, it will all add up to a great things.

Hope these thoughts help.

 

[Toby]

I'd strongly suggest you look at taking a couple of routes. One, is of course, writing your own How To book and to do this I'd take a look at some of the old give away books like 101 Tricks You Can Do and just bring them up to date a bit.

Oops, I Forgot This Generation May Not Know About Such Things. . .

For years magicians, especially those that focused on the kid market, gave away tricks and books in bulk some of which tipped well known routines like the Ball & Vase, Professor's Nightmare, etc. 101 Tricks You Can Do is one of the classics, many a mage having a front cover done with their name & image so as to allude to the idea that it was their own personal composition. If you wish to go stock and do so with such a book, translating it to a new language, I'd check with the publishing source to see if you can treat it as Mentalists do "Pitch Books" -- these are books penned by someone else but you can buy the printing rights to and public under your own name as if it is your own work (Richard Webster, John Riggs and others have penned several such texts).

If you want to deliver something of greater value, I'd get a copy of Bill Tarr's Now You See It; Now You Don't and get permission to translate it and do the same with Mark Wilson in regards to the Wilson Course. While you only get credit for translating these materials, the association will place your name recognition higher in the ranks within your nation. As you progress with shows and lectures as well as producing your own books & videos for your people, it will all add up to a great things.

Hope these thoughts help.

Wow, that helps a lot. So you suggest that instead of writing my own book right away, to buy the rights to translate someones else book under my name?

 

[Josh Burch]

That is a great post Craig I'm curious if this is a book for laymen or beginning magicians.

If it is for Laymen I would stick to a flip flop force, cross cut force and tricks involving a key card. Tricks like cops and robbers or the reversed card where you face the bottom card.

If it is for beginning magician's than things involving breaks, double lifts and the slip cut force may be appropriate. Tricks that would work here would be Slop shuffle triumph, poker players picnic and maybe out of this world.

I wouldn't expose the Chicago Opener, Biddle Trick or riffle force though. These are used widely by professional magicians. I would avoid revealing much of the restaurant workers bread and butter unless this is only being sold at magic shops.

I would take a look at Joshua Jay's book of cards to translate and Royal Road for material.

 

[Toby]

That is a great post Craig I'm curious if this is a book for laymen or beginning magicians.

If it is for Laymen I would stick to a flip flop force, cross cut force and tricks involving a key card. Tricks like cops and robbers or the reversed card where you face the bottom card.

If it is for beginning magician's than things involving breaks, double lifts and the slip cut force may be appropriate. Tricks that would work here would be Slop shuffle triumph, poker players picnic and maybe out of this world.

I wouldn't expose the Chicago Opener, Biddle Trick or riffle force though. These are used widely by professional magicians. I would avoid revealing much of the restaurant workers bread and butter unless this is only being sold at magic shops.

I would take a look at Joshua Jay's book of cards to translate and Royal Road for material.

Great thinking. It would be a book for laymen, that could possibly, in couple of years, be followed by the one for beginner magicians, so it would be like a sequel to the first book. I also wanted to use Royal Road for some simple tricks that anyone can do, the book is full of them.

 

[Josh Burch]

Great thinking. It would be a book for laymen, that could possibly, in couple of years, be followed by the one for beginner magicians, so it would be like a sequel to the first book. I also wanted to use Royal Road for some simple tricks that anyone can do, the book is full of them.

People generally are looking for something that they can do in an instant show their kids and then teach their kids. Unless they have been initiated they don't keep their mouths shut! Even then it's coin toss :/ I'd give them enough to fool their friends and that's it. The piano trick would also be a good option

 

[Toby]

People generally are looking for something that they can do in an instant show their kids and then teach their kids. Unless they have been initiated they don't keep their mouths shut! Even then it's coin toss :/ I'd give them enough to fool their friends and that's it. The piano trick would also be a good option

What's the piano trick? lol

 

[Josh Burch]

What's the piano trick? lol

Only a self working in the spectators hands super psychological cards across I don't have Royal Road with me now but it's in the second chapter I believe, it's also in Scarne on cards I believe.

 

[RickEverhart]

Toby...I would probably just do it in your language. Josh Jay basically just did this here in the United States. He took the Mark Wilson's course idea and gave it an update. Craig's idea is super. Take the Mark Wilson Complete Course or the Josh Jay Complete course and just translate it over. The Now You See It, Now you Don't Books are super...I own both volumes. I would contact Josh at Vanishing Inc. and see what he says. Josh also put out a DVD that came with his book.

 

[Craig Browning]

Here's an example of the old premium type booklets

Tricks You Can Do

This is a copy of a Promotional Sheet used by Dunninger. Other noted acts used this same type of EXPOSURE when it came to putting seats in the seats. Similarly, sheets of this sort would be found in the printed programs sold or otherwise distributed as part of the show festivities. Blackstone, Dante, Will Rock and Leon Mandrake all had comic books in which they solved various crimes or mysteries; this books tipped loads of magical effects, all of which were quite basic

I bring these points forward not only to give you ideas for resources, but too, as a way to help readers realize just how massive magic exposure was and by whom, in times not that far gone; even Blackstone Jr. and Mark Wilson have exposed magic and produced booklets that were literally given away at shows. This has been a tradition with magic well into the latter 1980s I believe. . . before so many started pooping diamonds, if you get my drift.