Stepladders & Demon Traps turns you into a savvy, assured creator of your own magic.
"This is the best thing I've read this year." - Mark Elsdon
Ever wondered why magicians say "stop" instead of "freeze" or "hold it"? Or why they might feign a flop during a trick? And what's with the magic effect in every routine anyway?
Stepladders & Demon Traps is all about finding purpose in your magic routines. Sure, you make a ton of choices, but are they conscious ones? Nicolaj Christensen nudges us to pinpoint our creative vision and sift through the best ideas like a fine wine connoisseur (minus the pretentiousness). Remember, form follows function, mate.
With seven routines (close-up and stand-up, some with cards, some without), Nicolaj lays bare the choices he’s made to align each routine with its vision, trimming away the unnecessary bits like a good barber does to a scruffy beard.
Five essays dive into the nitty-gritty of a deliberate creative process:
A summary of the routines as part of a larger vision.
A reminder that changes cannot be made in isolation.
A deconstruction of brainstorming as an analytical tool.
A helpful distinction between theme and premise.
A discussion of the kinds of subject matter that come with the territory of a magician. Nicolaj suggests that if a magic trick doesn't take into account the layers of meaning inherent to magic-as-magic, the work might be fundamentally out of touch with itself.
If you’re the analytical sort, you’ll dig the insights in Stepladders & Demon Traps. But if you’re more of an instinctive creator, you’ll appreciate the fresh ideas that’ll spark your imagination even more.
