For those of you who don’t know me, I am a part time professional magician. In the past year I have been working on an illusion that has been previously published by a well known magician. I’ve changed the handling, theme, and presentation of the effect, but still use the same of pulling it off. Basically I’ve changed it enough so that it works for me and people remember me by it.
In performing my version of this illusion for my magician colleagues, I’ve been approached by a columnist of a well known magician’s magazine to have it published. My initial reaction was to be very honored that somone would want to publish my take on this illusion. It shows that I’m appreciated and respected in the magic community. I was talking with somone about this and his take was not to publish it. He thinks that it would be a waste of a year’s worth of work that I had invested into this illusion and that once it was published, EVERYONE would be doing it and it would no longer be unique to me.
I don’t know what to do on this. On the one hand, I want to remain unique as a performer, but on the other hand, I also feel that I can contribute to the art and give something back by publishing it.
What do you, the teeming millions think I should do?
I guess it’s kind of like patent law, isn’t it? Once your spin on this illusion is published, it’s out there for anyone to perform. BUT if you keep quiet about it, it’s yours and yours alone.
On the gripping hand, is the fame you’ll get for publishing more important than the trick itself? I say yes-- if you have more cards up your sleeve
<sorry, couldn’t resist that one>
I’ve performed this illusion at competition (won 2nd place with it) and had a few people ask me if they could perform it. I’ve said yes. I’ve also had people who have seen me perform this ask me to perform it again. In a way, it’s already out there for others to perform.
It’s going to be good for you from a professional point of view (I assume you’re talking about being published in Genii). From what I’ve gathered, the readers generally respect those who can come up with a new variation and are much more interesting in the thinking involved in creating it than in duplicating it (though I’m sure there will be duplication).
I’d say let 'em publish it, and start working on something new to add to your act.