What a great thread. The only thing I would humbly add to tell new magicians is: be willing to fail, but don't think of yourself as a failure.

You're going to encounter setbacks and blunders on this journey, just treat them all as learning experiences and not the end of the road. When you blow it, look at what you did wrong and think about how to fix it for the next time. Then, make sure there's a "next time," so you can put into practice what you've learned.

Keep in mind, these blunders might involve fouling up a trick, or they might involve business or marketing decisions. Maybe you put a trick into the middle of your set that should be a closer. Maybe you're not getting gigs as much as you would like or maybe you bombed at your last one. Learn from it and keep going if you have a dream.

Be flexible and keep moving forward.

And... Keep it simple, make it fun! - that was for you, Dick!

Thanks to all who have contributed to this!

As a second time newbie I've been benefiting from posts such as this that are reflective on the practice of magic. I've been more drawn to questions of motivation and identity than which tricks I want to perform as the former ones help me filter the latter. I have also found that books help to control speed. You can't put on a book in the background and you can't skim a book on magic (not really). I also like to focus on one effect at a time, looking into the history around it and how other magicians have presented it and what their patter was for it. L&L's videos are great for this and I think it satiates a little of the 'thirst' for knowledge while staying focused on a single effect. Then finally is the thoughts behind how I will present myself performing a trick. For me a lot of the standard patter doesn't make sense. I'm not a fan of talking about the supernatural, psychic powers or gambling and so I want to think about what the trick "shows" from my perspective and then share that with a spectator (currently friends/family). It's plenty enough to keep busy for certain.

Here is my two centavos:

Watch a lot of magic. Find three effects you think you would enjoy doing, others would enjoy experiencing it, and you are likely to perform it. In other words, if you think linking rings looks cool, but you don't plan on doing stage magic, then that's not the one.

Then, take your time to learn each one step by step. Just learn and master one thing at a time.

Then, make each one your own. Think about how you are going to introduce it. Think about how you are going to end it. Think about what you would do if either something goes wrong.

Then, go out and perform.

KJ

This is very helpful to me. Thank you KJ!!!

Wow!! Where the heck were all you guys about 70 years ago when I really needed you??!!

I was not born yet at that time !

I know. Neither were most of the others above. My loss!!!

Harry,

Most of these people here have learned from .... YOU.

One of the most valuable things I learned ... from YOU... was making magic entertaining, even before the magic starts.

I learned this from David Regal. He learned it from ... guess who? YOU!

In one of his DVDs, he talks about how he was wondering why there was always a group of people gathered around you. One day he stopped to observe csrefully. What he found is that you engaged the crowd before the cards even came out.

I found that very helpful. Hence, that is why that is incorporated into my advice above.

One day, you aren't going to be around to share your wisdom, but little pieces of it will live on in hundreds if not thousands of magicians.

So, thank you Harry!

KJ

Harry Lorayne,

If you are reading this, I would love to hear first hand your thoughts on how you engaged a crowd before the cards came out and how that developed. i.e. where or how did you learn this?

KJ

You're welcome, 1KJ.

Wish I could give a specific answer to your question, but really can't. I'm basically an entertainer. I've said that, written it, for years. Magic and memory are the "talents" I use to BE entertaining (thank God for those since I can't sing or dance!). Over the decades many have, for example, stolen my entire memory act - simple; I teach all I do on stage in my books. But - they put audiences to sleep. That's the point.

Where or how I learned how to engage a crowd - before or after the cards came out...again, wish I could give you a specific answer, but can't. Perhaps...experience? And perhaps now, after the decades, the fact that I'm sorta' "known"? HL.

Thanks. Anyway, because of that observation of David Regal, I have been focusing a lot more attention on how I get into an effect, how I set it up, how I engage the audience, etc.

Very important advice...

stop buying... master what you know first.