Live Storytelling for Magicians

In 2024, Anthony Charles Heads released the hit book “Practical Paranormal Performance” to much acclaim and praise. An instant hit, he lectured and toured talking about the book. The magical community wanted to know how he managed to make his routines and stories so powerful, so moving and so real! What was the secret?In “Live Storytelling for Magicians” Anthony reveals and teaches the process he uses and paves the way for all magicians, regardless of discipline or style, to marry their own powerful and worthwhile stage-ready stories with their magical routines and tricks.For over 15 years, Anthony Charles Heads has been writing and performing stories as part of his mentalism and paranormal shows. As well as performing and touring nationally, he is a scriptwriter, a screenwriter and creative consultant to other mentalists and theatrical productions.This new book, “Live Storytelling for Magicians” is a step-by-step guide on how to design, craft and perform stories. It describes the necessary steps needed in order to take a rough story idea from your head and turn it into a polished and powerful spoken word story, perfectly designed for your chosen routine. That process is so much more than just “writing it down and rehearsing it”. “To my knowledge, no other book in the literature of contemporarymagic analyses the process for getting presentational ideas out of our heads onto the stage, platform, or close-up table.” - Dr. Larry Hass, Dean of Jeff McBride’s Magic & Mystery SchoolThere are many generic books on how to write stories but this book is specifically for magicians. Written in an easy accessible and logical way, this book will benefit not only those who already use storytelling but also those who, as of yet, have not added stories to their magic."The art and power of storytelling is often overlooked by magicians who wrongly believe that the trick will be enough. They think the magic comes from the trick. Their audiences will be amused and impressed but sadly that’s it. However, with the right story, framework, connection and delivery to accompany that very same trick, that amusement can be turned into a profound and moving experience. For just a little re-working, that trick can become a miracle.”With sections on narrative construction, story form, script conversion, stage craft, breathing, vocals, physicality, genre storytelling, audience management and so much more, this handbook will elevate any routine to a more professional, well-thought through and powerful performance.With a foreword from Dr. Larry Hass, Dean of Jeff McBride’s Magic & Mystery School, this little book will change how you work and if followed correctly, will improve the stories of performers of every calibre — even the seasoned performer. Read more