The Grand Effect

6 posts in this series

Reading Order

1 of 6 — 8 min read

Tricks Are Signposts: The Grand Effect Nobody Talks About

I spent two years collecting tricks like stamps before I realized the collection itself was never the point.

2 of 6 — 8 min read

Remove the Tricks: What Remains Is the Real Magic

I tried a thought experiment -- imagining my act with every trick removed -- and what I found in the empty space changed how I perform.

3 of 6 — 8 min read

Showmanship Is a Cheap Substitute for Drama: Why That Distinction Matters

I thought I needed to become a better showman. Then I read a sentence that made me realize I was solving the wrong problem entirely.

4 of 6 — 8 min read

Magic Is Bad Theatre: The God-Figure Problem and How to Fix It

I spent years performing like an omniscient god-figure who snapped his fingers and made impossible things happen. Then I realized why my audiences were impressed but never truly moved.

5 of 6 — 8 min read

From God to Hero: How Shifting Your Role Changes Everything

Once I understood the god-figure problem, the next question was obvious: if I should not be a god on stage, what should I be instead? The answer restructured my entire approach to performing.

6 of 6 — 8 min read

Wonder vs. Puzzlement: Why Magic's Goal Is Wonder, Not Fooling People

I spent my first year trying to fool people. Then I read something that made me realize I was aiming at the wrong target entirely.