Three Subtle Ways To Improve Any Trick

I agree with Ascanio, Vernon, and many others that it is not possible to perfect a magic trick and that very trick we do can be improved some way. Therefore, the effects in my repertoire are constantly evolving.

Here are three techniques I use to regularly review the tricks in my repertoire in an effort to improve them. They apply to every single trick I do:

1. Make it more about you
Is there a way of adding a little of yourself into the trick? It could just be a single line that is added to your script to tell the audience something about yourself. In fact, it doesn't even need to be verbal: a carefully timed look or a glance at the audience in the right way can speak volumes.

2. Make it more about them
No trick suffered from making it more about the audience. I am constantly looking for ways to interact with my audience and to find ways to make the effects more interactive and meaningful. (For example, in my effect Aura, I use a small moment of apparently making a connection with the participant — it does nothing in practice, but that moment has elevated the effect more than I can describe)

3. Make it more about now
Too many tricks happen in the past. If you have seen my performance of Jack Wise's Heist (I call it "Modern Crime"), you'll see that I took the classic "I was mugged on the way to the show," presentation ploy and flipped it on its head. Instead of telling an untrue story, I now work with the audience to create a story.

Considering these things with every effect will create an experience. And ultimately, that is always my goal.