How to Get Into Magic: A Beginner’s Guide to Becoming a Magician

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Have you ever been captivated by a magician’s sleight of hand, left wondering how they made that card vanish, or that coin appear out of thin air? The world of magic has that allure, and the good news is that anyone can unlock its secrets!

I have received many questions whilst performing, and one of the most common, apart from “Can you make my wife disappear?“, is how I started, got into magic, and became a magician. So, I decided to write this article for all of you who are interested in learning how to get into magic.

It’s easier to get into magic and start learning than most people realise. Magic, like playing a musical instrument, requires dedication and practice to develop the skills needed to amaze and perform confidently. Of course, some natural ability helps, but I didn’t have that when I started—consistent practice is key!

The biggest challenge for most people is simply finding time to practice and develop their skills, but even 15 minutes a day can lead to progress.

Once you’ve found that time and started putting in the work, though, it’s a rewarding experience.

If you’re reading this page, I’m assuming that you already know that magic is a fascinating art form and that you want to become a magician.

Now that we’re all on the same page…

How did I start? Well, not a glamorous story, I’m afraid! I was sitting in my flat at the time with not much to do. Looking around in the junk drawers, I found a pack of cards. Playing around, I thought it would be cool to do something with these. A quick trip across the road to WHSmith, and I bought the cheapest card magic book I could find. Daily practice meant I soon had a basic working knowledge of several sleights and tricks.

My First Magic Book - How To Get Into Magic
My first magic book

Of course, it snowballed from there, and after a year or two, I started performing small shows. A chance encounter with a professional magician, Robin (of Martiny’s Magic, based in Cumbria, where I was living), helped further develop my skills. He became a sort of mentor, and we performed a horror stage show together, where my head was stabbed with knives and set alight!

A mentor can provide valuable feedback, suggest learning resources, and keep you motivated.

That is my story, but everyone gets into magic in their own way. Many of my peers started much younger than I did, with a Paul Daniels magic set (The Marvin’s magic set of my day!) and then became interested enough to keep learning and join junior magic societies.

So, would I recommend that an aspiring young beginner follow in my footsteps exactly? Probably not, not at first, at least. We live in a digital age where YouTube and TikTok have taken over the world. Among the vast array of magic tutorial videos, many are unethical or unreliable. Some content creators teach others’ moves without the right to do so, undermining the credibility of our craft.

That said, among the noise, there are great channels where you can learn basic moves and tricks, and if you have time to sift through what’s out there, you can find your direction.

There are even Netflix-style video courses to teach magic. One course is being taught by the famous TV street magician David Blaine! I will post a set of links at the end. These will be structured courses you can follow.

You can be suckered into wasting a lot of money on this hobby, too. A visit to a magic shop, either online or in a brick-and-mortar store, and you’ll be amazed at the amount of material out there to buy. Books, DVDs, and entire tricks are ready for you to perform. For beginners, much of the stuff out there isn’t very good. I would recommend, if possible, going to a real shop where you can speak to the owner.

Many towns also have magic societies where you can get guidance from working magicians. Many societies have special junior societies.

One of the key things I was told when learning is to keep practising the trick for at least 2 weeks before performing it for other people. This is so you are comfortable with how it works, and so you hopefully don’t make any mistakes!

Beginner Tips

  • Pick up a book and start!
  • Record Yourself.
  • Find a local magic club (some have junior societies), and find a mentor to help.
  • Don’t just start buying all the tricks you see online!
  • Embrace mistakes.
  • Respect the craft.

Whether you’re 8 or 80, the first step into magic is simply deciding to begin. The rest—well, that’s where the real wonder starts

You need to start small and build upon your knowledge as you go. Try out different things; don’t be afraid to fail, but do learn from it. Most importantly, have fun with it!

If you wish to get in chat with me for advice, etc, please do! You can visit my contact page for more details.

Planning an event yourself?

Find out what a magician costs and get in see my close-up magic page for more information

Online Resources

  • MagicOrthodoxy– Reviews the latest magic tricks & contains tutorials for subscribers.
  • 52Kards – Comprehensive free online learning resource for aspiring magicians
  • Online Magic – Magician Steve Faulkner’s Beginner Magic course

Book Resources

  • Magic: The Complete Course – Joshua Jay
  • Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic – Mark Wilson
  • Card College – Roberto Giobbi
  • Modern Coin Magic – J.B. Bobo

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Adrian Salamon
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