How do you create magic? This is a question that is asked by many magicians….the idea of being able to create your own strong magic is great, but how, how can you?  Many magicians have tried to tackle this questions, some say that you need to stop doing magic for a few weeks and become inspired by your own life and see what comes of it….this could work, i honestly have never tried it, i personally can’t be away from a deck of cards for more than a day, i’m like an addict. 

So how do i create magic? Well, I try to surround myself with magic.  I read it, watch it, study the theory (Strong Magic, Scripting Magic and Ascanio Vol.1 will really help out your creativity as well as your performance).  As well as studying lots of magic I talk to other magicians about magic, several effects I’ve come up with have been a direct result from a magician making a comment on a magic trick or talking about magic in general.  So, even though it’s important to absorb all the magic that you learn, but you should not try to copy any part of an effect that you have learned when creating new magic.  As Rilke says “Nobody can counsel and help you, nobody.  There is only one single way.  Go into Yourself.” (Letters to a Young Poet, Pg.16).  What does this mean?  Well, basically it means that you need to not rely on others to help you create your OWN magic, because if you just build onto another magicians effect, you’re not really creating new magic, you’re just creating a variation. 

So, what do you do?  You look into yourself and use your own personality and ideas to create new magic. Albeit there are many plots to magic in which you can create New and original magic, but this does not always mean you have to follow the exact plot, try to take a plot and turn it on it’s head, maybe add a surprising ending or change the methodology or psychology of the plot so you can create a new, unique, and original effect.  Now when I say don’t build on other effects, i don’t mean you can’t use Sleights that you have learned from others, obviously those are important and needed to create most magic effects.  And don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone.  For example, if you’re a close up magician purest who doesn’t like to use gaffs, try playing around with just ONE gaff, just one and see if you can come up with with something neat with that.  And for all you gaff fiends out there, try playing around with a regular deck of cards to see what you can work out.  I hope all of these ideas i have thrown out will help you create your own magic.  Remember that this is just the way i create, you don’t have to use these ideas at all.  But if you do, you will find yourself with some powerful tools for creating new magic.

Take care.