There are so many different tricks out there to learn, so many YouTube channels, books, and tutorial DVDs teaching a near limitless amount of methods. It can be overwhelming, not just to novices, but to seasons performers looking to expand their repertoire. A book by Pete McCabe called Scripting Magic posits that the true path toward successful magic isn’t to learn more tricks; it’s to tell better stories with the ones you already know. 

McCabe is a Hollywood screenwriter, and he’s taken his expertise in crafting stories for film and translated them for the magic realm. The first volume of Scripting Magic has been in and out of print for a while now, but it’s officially back in stock, along with a brand-new second volume full of exercises, script examples, interviews, and more. Both books combine to form one powerful tome full of answers to that burning question so many magicians have: how do I improve the tricks I already know?

Both volumes are available now through Vanishing Inc. You can buy volume one and volume two individually for $50 apiece, or pick them up together in a limited edition for $150, which includes a slip case and worksheets.