What do I do, what site, what company?

Cardshark

If you have created an effect that you want to market – especially if you are not “famous” or widely known – you best bet is to create a demo of what your effect will look like and send it to the one of the major magic houses that sell on line.

Allow the magic houses to sample your work and let them get back to you – in their time if your effect is right for their business, they will contact you.

Tricks that include your original props and or gaffs will sell much better than something can be easily duplicated (like a booklet – or a piece of paper) – If you have several original effects (and I stress ‘original’) create a video.

If all you have created is merely a “routine” involving known sleights – then your effect is better off being kept by you as a precious gem that only you know.

If your effect requires something to be fashioned or built – you will have to find a way to develop a prototype to pitch your idea.

In other words – make your creation as easily assessable as possible.

If you have money available to you – rent a table at a magic convention and perform your effect for passers by and hope that someone watching has even MORE money to back you financially.

Keep in mind that if you are unknown – and your effect is merely a routine written down – more than likely you will be rejected. Most magic houses want creativity and originality and more and more that is harder to produce as “there is nothing new under the sun.”

Hope that helps,

Hey, I would talk to Jim Pace. This is what he does for a living, making and marketing them. He has the best ideas and thoughts on this subject.

I've sold three of my effects to Elmwood Magic, and have nothing but great things to say about my experience with them.
Their website at http://www.elmwoodmagic.com
has a section with info for creators looking to develop and market their ideas.

You won't get rich doing this, but that's really a given in our field. If you have a
"hit" effect, you may make more releasing it yourself, especially if you get a distributor like Murphy's to carry it. If you don't, though, you'll likely make more by having a company like Elmwood, MagicSmith, or Murphy's (all of whom I recommend) buying the rights and manufacturing/releasing it for you.

--A