when to start?

[GBHmagic]

Ok so i have been at this magic thing for several years.
Everytime I show anything to any magician and ask "should I perform" im told, you need to practice more..WTF how much is enough before i can at least try?

[Christopher1979]

Ok so i have been at this magic thing for several years.
Everytime I show anything to any magician and ask "should I perform" im told, you need to practice more..WTF how much is enough before i can at least try?

You need to be more specific. When you say "at this magic thing" what are you meaning?. What type of magic do you preform?. Also for a magician to come up to you and just say you need to practice more is not much help and actually quite rude!. At least give some structured criticism. Practice doesn't always add up to perfect either as you need to know if you are practicing something correctly in order to get better!.

[MagicbyAlfred]

@GBHmagic: I generally agree with Christopher's comments.

I would add two things: (1) Stay away from showing things to magicians; (2) insofar as your question, "How much is enough before I can at least try?" the answer is, "Try right now." Don't be afraid to fail, as that will keep you from success more than anything in the world. You will take a quantum leap when you no longer confine yourself to practicing, and enter the realm of performing. Go for it, and have FUN doing it! Remember, experience and laymen, not magicians, are our best teachers...

[GBHmagic]

Ok so i have been at this magic thing for several years.
Everytime I show anything to any magician and ask "should I perform" im told, you need to practice more..WTF how much is enough before i can at least try?

You need to be more specific. When you say "at this magic thing" what are you meaning?. What type of magic do you preform?. Also for a magician to come up to you and just say you need to practice more is not much help and actually quite rude!. At least give some structured criticism. Practice doesn't always add up to perfect either as you need to know if you are practicing something correctly in order to get better!.

Sorry.. mostly cards at this time. I dubt Im good, but i try.
Just have to find a venue to try this out.

[performer]

Ignore the opinion of magicians. They really don't count.

[Christopher1979]

If your in to cards i will also think about starting with some self working card tricks. Then that frees you up to think about your patter and performance without having to think about sleight of hand

[GBHmagic]

If your in to cards i will also think about starting with some self working card tricks. Then that frees you up to think about your patter and performance without having to think about sleight of hand

I enjoy sleight of hand. No mater what it was it alway "needed work".. if it was sleight then thats what the said needed work. If its self working I was told the patter needs work...grrrrrrr a no win.

[performer]

It does NOT need work! I am psychic and know these things. I have heard people say that Vernon and Slydini needed "work". It is in the DNA of magicians to criticise whether justified or not.

You must always ignore what biased magicians say. Show your stuff to LAYMEN. If they say that they saw a palmed card in your hand or that you are a bit on the boring side then you probably are. However, if as I strongly suspect is more likely, they are amused and mystified by your demonstration then just ignore all the silly bastard magicians and do things your own way. LAYMEN are what counts. Not magicians most of whom couldn't make the contents of an empty box disappear..

I thank God every day that I never met a single magician for the first two years of my study. If I had I would ended up as crap as the rest of them. Ignore them. Work to LAYMEN!

[Christopher1979]

If your in to cards i will also think about starting with some self working card tricks. Then that frees you up to think about your patter and performance without having to think about sleight of hand

I enjoy sleight of hand. No mater what it was it alway "needed work".. if it was sleight then thats what the said needed work. If its self working I was told the patter needs work...grrrrrrr a no win.

I would be interested in seeing who these magicians are that keep putting you down!. I am aware that some magicians can be egotistical and like the thought of making themselves look good but most of them will always be happy to help and point you in the right direction.

[GBHmagic]

If your in to cards i will also think about starting with some self working card tricks. Then that frees you up to think about your patter and performance without having to think about sleight of hand

I enjoy sleight of hand. No mater what it was it alway "needed work".. if it was sleight then thats what the said needed work. If its self working I was told the patter needs work...grrrrrrr a no win.

I would be interested in seeing who these magicians are that keep putting you down!. I am aware that some magicians can be egotistical and like the thought of making themselves look good but most of them will always be happy to help and point you in the right direction.

There are 3. Due to my "issues" i don't get out much, so most of the time its via video.
I cannot drive due to medication i have to take (complications from Chemo/surgery).

[Christopher1979]

I enjoy sleight of hand. No mater what it was it alway "needed work".. if it was sleight then thats what the said needed work. If its self working I was told the patter needs work...grrrrrrr a no win.

I would be interested in seeing who these magicians are that keep putting you down!. I am aware that some magicians can be egotistical and like the thought of making themselves look good but most of them will always be happy to help and point you in the right direction.

There are 3. Due to my "issues" i don't get out much, so most of the time its via video.
I cannot drive due to medication i have to take (complications from Chemo/surgery).

Wow, i am so sorry to hear that. Well, i really think you need to stop listening to other people and take the jump into preforming for the public. Remember, Magic is supposed to be enjoyable and as long as you enjoy doing it... DO IT!.

I stopped listening to people a long time ago, just go with your gut and what you feel. If you look like you are enjoying doing a trick and your audience can see you are enjoying it then even if you fail you will have them on your side.

I wish you all the luck!

[Bill Duncan]

Ignore the opinion of magicians. They really don't count.

I can't be the only one who's rolling on the floor laughing that the irony of that...

Good one Mark.

performer's second bit of advise, about working for laymen is certainly worth listening to... but my psychic-reverend powers tell me you're looking for a venue where you could do that.

Since you do card magic, find a place where you can practice in semi-private. Go to a quiet neighborhood bar, or Starbucks with your close up mat and buy something. Take a seat in the corner and start practicing your full deck false shuffles and fancy false cuts. Drink your beverage and look a bit disappointed. Practice some more.

With a bit of luck someone will come over and ask what you are doing. Explain that you are having problems with this deck of cards, do a couple of quick shuffles and cuts, then spread the pack face up and say "the damn things won't stay shuffled!"

[performer]

Ignore the opinion of magicians. They really don't count.

I can't be the only one who's rolling on the floor laughing that the irony of that...

Good one Mark.

.

My opinions always count. I am no ordinary magician.