Organizing Your Tricks

Hey there!

As for tools, I'm a big fan of NOTION.

It's pretty easy to get started with and comes with lots of templates to document your workflow.

Once you learn a bit about using databases, a whole new world opens up: you can tag effects, interlink them, filter by categories, and so much more.

Maybe we should consider creating a specific template for magicians.

All the best!

I've finished the template and uploaded some tricks. The tricks are on my private YouTube channel and link directly to Notion. Here's a screenshot so you can see how good it looks!

I keep all my tricks logged by name with a brief description in Google Keep, so I always have them with me wherever I go.

I categorize them into tricks that require a setup and those that don't, and I've assigned them a difficulty rating from 1 to 4. This way, when I'm putting together a routine, I can easily see which ones to choose from each difficulty level and practice them in advance.

I hope this helps!

Hey there.

@dete:

What do you put in your notebooks?

I have a lot of notebooks, but I only dedicate one to routines.

The rest are pretty much for gimmicks I design.

To start, I have another notebook where I categorize tricks by:

• Basic and Standard

Any trick that can be done with a regular deck and requires minimal sleight of hand.

• Mathematical

Similar to the above, but ones spectators can even do themselves with little to no handling of the deck from you (or without you even touching it).

• Pre-Set Card Tricks

These require a specific setup of a certain number of cards (whether a few or several) on top, on the bottom, or in the middle of the deck.

• Effects and Techniques

Effects that use a combination of various sleights and tricks that use all sorts of gimmicks.

In it, I jot down the tricks and all their references.

I have another one where I combine different tricks and then test the combinations (it's a trial-and-error notebook that usually ends up with a lot of cross-outs).

And when I build a routine I like, one that looks good and that people enjoy, always after thoroughly testing it several times, I write it down in my routine notebook.

But the truth is, the moment you combine tricks into routines, you memorize them much more easily. I mean, I've rarely had to review the tricks from routines I've created myself (or routines I've learned from other magicians) because you tend to perform them "on the fly" almost without realizing it.

The key is to find "your own system" that helps you see things clearly.

@ociofrik:

If it's not too much trouble, could you send a photo of how you take notes for magic tricks?

😅

That's pretty much the description I gave above.

A large notebook, divided into 4 sections of pages (where I jot down the tricks and usually give them a number).

Another notebook where I gather a few tricks from each section, start mixing them randomly, and test if I get anything out of it or if I need to modify anything.

Other times, you see tricks that so obviously fit together perfectly, you don't need to do much more 😅.

@ociofrik:

I don't know if you note down the time, preparation, materials, or source where you got it from.

• The time.

The timing is "relative."

Most of the time (because even though I have my routines prepared, I usually alter the dialogue and storyline as I see fit) I improvise the story on the fly, depending on whether I want to extend the performance time or shorten it.

Initially, I don't measure or indicate the time, but I also don't do very long routines, typically 3 to 5 tricks. And when it's 5 tricks, 2 are usually high-impact effects (often using gimmicks) and quick ones to start, transition, or finish.

Basically, my routines usually average between 15 and 20 minutes, and I can extend them up to 40 minutes or cut them down to 10 minutes.

• Preparation and Materials.

Obviously, if a trick depends on any prior preparation, I make a note of it. Though generally, I know all the tricks I perform by heart.

Honestly, it's one thing to learn thousands of tricks and another to use them all.

It's better to go little by little: build routines of 3 or 5 tricks, refine the routine, perform them, perform them, and perform them (until they're etched into your soul), and then start a new routine with another 3 or 5 new tricks. And repeat the process.

• Sources

Perhaps the most important thing for me (and not just to be able to tell other magicians where it comes from or where they can find it) is that you should always have all your references for any trick handy.

So many times I've watched the same video or read the same book... and suddenly I discover something new. The more references you have for any trick (especially its variations), the better.

Sometimes, even "knowing something," we suddenly "rediscover something new."

Cheers to both of you!!!

---

NOTE:

Remember, this is my way of doing it, not the definitive answer 🤣

And apologies for the late reply, but I couldn't get to it sooner; I barely had time until now.

I've created an Excel spreadsheet with three columns: one for the TRICK NAME, another for the DESCRIPTION, and the third for a VIDEO LINK (from YouTube, for instance).

I keep the trick name column in ALPHABETICAL ORDER (with all the relevant details staying linked, of course), so when I want to remember an effect, I just go to my Excel file and look it up.

I jot down the name and description of the effect on a piece of paper

I usually keep a notebook where I jot down details of effects I'm working on, and lists of tricks grouped into routines.

What are some apps similar to Notion? Do you have to pay for them? Are there other free Notion-like apps? Thanks!