Magic may be an art form, but for many of us it's also a way of life-and a way to make money. For all you who are interested in turning magic from a hobby into a career, there are several things you need to know about the business side of magic.

Develop a "Hook"

What makes you different from all the other performers out there? What is your unique angle? What makes you shine and stand out from the crowd?

Ideally, your show or your persona should strive, in some way, to differentiate from everything else that's out there at the moment. Now I'm not saying you should go out on a limb and try something totally crazy and overly ambitious. But it's smart to give clients even more of a reason to hire you and not someone else.

So, for example, you could concentrate on one particular area within magic and cultivate it as a specialty. That would ultimately allow you to market yourself as, say, "The Mentalist Magician" or "Merlin the Mind-Reader" (okay, you can probably come up with something a LOT better, but this is just to give you an idea of what I mean!).

Give Them What They Want

Yes, it's important to cultivate a show and a career based upon your own interests. Being passionate about something is the only true pathway to success.

But at the same time, I see so many magicians who are going out of their way to do tricks and illusions that they love-but that audiences hate. Try to steer clear of wildly unpopular areas of the magic profession or of tricks that everyone knows the secrets to already. Instead, pick tricks that are proven to win people over and that there is great demand for, especially in your region.

This article is extracted from 'Discover The Magic Trick Secrets You're Not Supposed To Know', full details can be found at http://www.discovermagictricks.com

• Lost Canyon [Chapters Four and Five of Six]


• Arizona Blue - Gunfighter: Meeting at the Red Dog


• The Bastard Giants: The Creation of a Race—Legacy


• Why Are Readers So Hungry for Horror?


• Fantasy and the Sense of Wonder


• Casino Theme Party Ideas For a Sensational Celebration


• Troy Burroghs In NYC [Troy Burroghs: Surrealist-Traveler]


• Arizona Blue - Gunfighter, in: Lady in White: The Next Day [Chapter Three of Six]


• Planet SSARG: Hearts of Buzzards [Part one of two/Chapter #13]


• A Cup of Cocoa on a Cold Day