My blog of things and thoughts

A few things recently have made me consider putting some of my thoughts and idea out to a wider audience. Not necessarily to the public domain at large, but at least to the magical community.

Firstly there was a discussion with Ravi Mayar after a booking at Royal Ascot. I showed him a few things from my repertoire and a few ideas I was working on. I explained that some of these ideas are simple and easy to do but get great reactions from spectators. As a working professional Ravi could see the bigger picture, and as he is currently working on effects to put on a DVD himself he suggested that it is a possibility for me to do the same.

Second, now I have my new website I am writing more on my blog. My old website had a blog, but this one is to get across the real me, and the more formal announcements are put on the news page. This has led me to consider ideas that normally would have passed directly to a memory or perhaps no more than an idea to suggest to other magicians.

Thirdly, when I started my blog I was concious that I may not be able to generate enough orignal writing to try to post at least 4 or 5 times a week, so I looked back. I still have copies of articles I have written for magic society circulars, posts on magic related websites and emails to other magicians who have asked me for advice.

These points led me to consider writing a book. A volume that contains not only tricks, but also the thinking that goes behind the effects. The psychology of it, if you will.

For example, there is something I showed Ravi. The explaination of "how" the trick works could be summarised in just a sentence, or two if you really wanted to give detail. However, the handling, the phrasing, how it is placed in the repertoire and all these little things that are easy to look over are what really makes people scream, the crowd applaud, create a moment that people remember, and fool the pants off a professional magician!

However, I want the book to be more. About creating a "brand", marketing, cross-marketing, referral marketing and generally being professional. To be thoughts, not just mechanics, yet still recognise the art of performing magic.

I guess it would be a book of tricks, crossed with "Absolute Magic", crossed with "Marketing for Dummies" crossed with a text-book on applied psychology!

The downside is book format is on the demise. It takes more hard work and effort to write a book, it's more expensive to produce (especially in lovely hardback), and ultimately it doesn't sale as well as DVDs.

Magicians, like everyone, want ease. To pop a DVD on whilst doing the ironing for an hour is easier than it is to sit in a quiet room with a book.

But do I want the sort of magician who has this approach to use my ideas? Probably not.

Do I want to make large sums of money? Yes, but even a best selling magic DVD isn't a great earner!

Do I want praise and recognition from my peers? No, not really. It's nice to be liked and appreciated, but my main concern is getting the lay public - the ones who book me - to know who I am. Those are the ones that see the final product, and those are the ones that ultimately pay my mortgage each month.

So why am I looking to do it?

I genuinely think for the magician who sees an art and a craft in his work will see the treasures hidden within it. The trick junkie will see it as overly simple, the amateur won't see the meaning (because he has no experience of working with the public) and the make-a-quick-buck magician won't find a fool-proof easy to implement marketing system that guarantees immediate results.

This isn't a project I plan to have ready immediately. I there are ideas and concepts I need to hone, use and polish. Even then the process of creating a physical book will no doubt be an uphill struggle.

In the current magic market place why would a magic dealer want to produce a book that probably won't sell well and has limited appeal? Isn't it easier to spend a day filming with a camcorder and a couple more editing?

Perhaps the best way would be to self-publish a limited run. Sell them at cost through my website to other magicians, and let the quality of the publication ensure it's passage through the magic community's grapevine. Hopefully becoming one of those "underground classics".

Perhaps I'm getting a little carried away.

I would love to hear you views though. Please email me at robert@robertbone.co.uk with any thoughts or ideas you have, and questions you would like to be answered in such a book.