When we reported on the release of the second volume of Peter McCabe’s Scripting Magic (along with a reprinting of the first volume), it sounded almost too good to be true. $150 is a lot of money, but if Scripting Magic can fundamentally improve the magic you already know, then it’s easily worth the price of admission. YouTube review channel Magic Orthodoxy has the verdict: if you are serious about your magic, you should absolutely find a way to make these two volumes part of your library.

It’s not just the inclusion of dozens of essays and professional patter from some of the best magicians in the business that impressed David the most, but rather the flowcharts and worksheets that the books come with that let you apply this knowledge practically. He calls it “homework”, but it’s the kind of homework that actually lets you feel like you’re improving and understanding your own abilities in a new light. He even claims that the set is just as important for scripted magicians as it is for those who try to make their magic feel more organic or spontaneous. 

If you’re intrigued, pick up your boxed set of both volumes at publisher Vanishing, Inc. for $150.

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.