Here I want to ask about something quite important which is the magic pakaging.

Firstly, how to start a magic.
you see if you start a magic by asking let's say your classmate "Hey come I show you a trick" then it is like . . .

You get what I mean right. It is not really nice to say that, you spoil the "magic" atmosphere. It just seems like you wanna impress. I feel that sometime when I say that, I seem like a magic freak rather than a professional magician.
So how to you all show it to people naturally without giving people an impression that you are a magic freak and make people get very attracted to what you want to do next? Look below for more of what I mean.


Second, how to make the magic and you yourself the magician seem a mix of amazing mysterious and professtional which attract people like hell and make them can't wait to see what will happen next?

I know this got a lot to do with what you perform and how professional you are, but I know that what you say at the very first place to attract people is also very important.

So what do you all say/do?

I assume you are referring to a social setting and not a commercial setting (working gigs), because in my opinion, both are quite different.

If you're performing to friends, you're right in saying that you can be seen as rather pushy or geeky. In fact, this pretty much accounts for the stereotype that some people have of amateur magicians.

I like to have people ask me to perform, rather than me push magic to them. When doing your introductions to new friends, or through casual chat, you can let it be known that you enjoy magic. That way, you can expect that they would ask you to perform.

Another way would be to perform impromptu effects in a casual manner. This means not to bring out obvious props showing your intent to perform. For example, cups and balls is a no-no, and even a deck of cards may be pushing it too far. Try coins, rubberbands, mentalism...

Most importantly, you don't want magic to get in the way of your own personality. It's not exactly a good idea to perform whenever you get the chance to.

Just my 0.2 cents. :)

But poker card trick made up of most of the trick so it is quite inevitable. But like what you have said even poker card can be pushy as we don't have a reason to bring it out unless we want to perform magic using it.

Becuase mostly the trick I know is related to poker card, so I bring it quite often around with me and I have people asked me "hey do you bring that card every day?" This make me feel like a magic freak which I don't like.

Are you sure cards make up 'most of the trick'?

Venture out more. Magic is far more than cards alone.

Well as what ChiaWK said is true. Sometimes playing cards and the other props are too pushy. But I still only choose to do card magic and making it my speciality.

Too many people sterotype card tricks as bad and lame because they can see through a few and know some. But that has been my motivation to only get better in card magic. I don't want to not show you card tricks because you hate it, I want to show you card tricks so to make you love it.

Refrain from forcing magic on people or performing when they do not ask. If they do ask, it is perfectly okay to do card tricks for them if that is what makes up a large part of your repertoire. If they don't want to see card tricks, too bad for them. They don't pay you, you don't have to not do card tricks for them.


People around me knows that I only work with cards mostly, they ask me if I do other things, I will tell them I don't (although I do). Sometimes they may look at you with the 'chey' or 'so lousy' face but it is fine for me. For I love magic not them and I am proud to study card magic.


I have gone away from the 'Can I show you something?" unless I know I really can get some constructive feedback.


And.. just be yourself. You don't have to be all too mysterious and sort, people generally prefer the friendly and warm hearted entertainers. If you are not yourself and trying to be someone, people can sense it. Especially, your friends.

i read a book about magic and showmanship that i would like to share some points:

- To start performing magic to someone,Perform magic that usually fits the occasion that you are in [i guess this only apply only on close up]. my opinion: Using the trick you use for that case, you could try to link other magic, by giving excuse like: Actually the reason the coin can penetrate into bottle is because i teleported it and link other teleportation tricks to it.

- Never show magic for the sake of it , or at least provide a reason for it. The book give an example using the famous or well known Four ace trick, [i don't know the actual effect but..] So what if you appear four aces, explain what is the significances of it, or else it would become a puzzle, rather than magic trick.

To summarize:
-Give a plot to your magic routine. thats the best package you could give.
- What kind of pakage you could give is also according to the occasion, lets say if some one is hungry, then you appear a sandwich[book example]. This is relevant.

Because i am also a newb i can't comment much, but these are tips given by the book i read. Interesting?

Hmm... my suggestions: (I am assuming you are ONLY performing for friends)

1. Fit your magic to the occassion (easier said than done though)....
Eg: When you are at a party, and there are beer or coke cans around, you can do Sinful (coin through can).

2. I'm sure your friends know that you are into magic. Refrain from "offering" them your magic. Let your friends ask you for it. Trust me, when they know you are a magician, there WOULD be time they would want to see it. Resist the temptation to show off... (again, easier said than done)

3. Your friends already know YOU. So no point trying to take on another persona, you will come across as pretentious. Unless you are performing to people who don't know YOU.

ok what all of you have said is quite true but . . .

1) sometime there is no reason for me to perform but I want to see their amazed look so what can I do?

2) sometime you meet people who do not know that you know magic and you want to show, so how can you expect them to ask for it?

Ask them to act amazed and take a photo of them with your hp so that you can take it with you whenever you go.


P.S. If you read our replies above carefully, you can see that all your questions are already answered.

1. All I can say, resist the temptation. It would be better for your "magic career" in the long run.

I mean, from the way you put it, I feel you are really performing for personal ego. Not that it is very wrong, except that people can sense you are trying to show that "I know something that you don't...!!", "Ha, sucker!! I got you fooled!!". Audience can sense that and it turns them off, or worse, turns them into hecklers.

2. YOu can always hint at it by doing a coin roll, or if you have cards, do some fancy cuts or simple flourishes.

I mean, you don't have to shout out to the world that "HEY!!! LOOK!!! I KNOW MAGIC!!! WANT SOME?"