I'm not new to magic, but I'm new to street magic. I have done street magic tricks in some of my stage shows, so dont say dont do routines on the street until you are ready. I am ready. But to the point, how do I draw a crowd, and get into my routine, and when do I know I should start doing my routine?

In another post you write


Busking is not for you. You are too young and too inexperienced to even think of it. You say you "have been doing magic since I was really little," You ARE little. You don't have the maturity or experience for the street.

Actually, everybody thinks I'm 16 and I have the maturity of an adult.

This has been covered *many times* before.

Why is it that young people want to believe they're older than they are, yet when they get older, they try to pass as younger???

Even if you were 16, I'd still say "wait."

It doesn't matter if you look like you are 16 or if you have the maturity of an adult, which I highly doubt. No teenager as young as you has the maturity of an adult. You are still too young to be taken seriously in magic. Have you thought at all about how you are going to present your tricks? Not just doing them, but how they will be done, all of your patter and movements down to even the things you say/do after the trick is done. I doubt you are ready, and you are not old enough, stick to giving your family some amazement for now, it's good practice.

How's this for a test?

Are you old enough to hold your own in a jail cell?

The cold truth is, buskers (not all of them) know what the inside of a jail cell looks like. They also know what it's like to try an explain to a judge the difference between busking and panhandling.

Not many adults can claim to do that successfully. That's what keeps lawyers in business.

Thats a good point

Check out Street Theatre DVD. Here's a quote from the description.

This is a performance-only DVD containing almost 2 HOURS of footage. There is a TREMENDOUS opportunity to learn by example. Listen as the performers describe their techniques for becoming a better performer. Watch and listen to 13 year old Coady Pickering as he performs and then earns his keep. Young, but a true professional in every sense of the word.

The performances on this DVD are done at a sanctioned street festival. That is a big difference from just going out on your own.
Just thought you should know.

That is a good point.

Make sure you have a vase of Vaseline just in case someone finds you young and pretty.

Hey,
Let's not forget the ever popular 'Soap on a rope.' An often over looked but very necessary tool while incarcerated.
Usually, the vaseline is much needed if you "OVERLOOKED" getting the soap on a rope.

OK, getting back on topic....
If your'e like me and live in a tourist area then you have
acess to seeing street performers on a regular basis.
If not, check out if any festivals, etc. are coming near your area.
chances are there will be one or two performers.
What I'm getting at is that you should watch as many street performers as you can.
you will see that they sometimes get heckled like you would'nt believe!
Also, most know their routines and can do them in their sleep.

14 is young to be busking and most people won't take you seriously.
wait a few yrs. do some shows at the local community center,library, etc.. to gain experience.
I myself do not busk. Why?? Because I have seen
that it is one of the most difficult/brutal areas to work in.
The guys who do it have dedicated ALOT of time into perfecting their craft
and definatly have my respect.

just my 2 cents worth.

I TOTALLY DESAGRE WITH YOUR OPIGNONS!
I am only 15, and i do street magic every day i can, i go at mall, streets, Party... I'd say i really dont look like a 18+ old guy, But i have a male voice, im still 5'8''

And i can gather enough cash from tips to buy tricks on penguin, MY JOB IS BEING A STREET MAGICIANS!

Nothing is imposible!
Just practice over and over! when i was younger ( im still young ) I was not going on patter, that's the thing that got me wrong, and i was performing at school, wich is the Heckler or grabber kingdom.

Some tips
- NEVER, EVER USE GIMMICK IF YOU ARE PERFORMING AT SCHOOL!
- Try to be presentable when performing to aldults, dont wear hundreth of piercing, Smell good and be polite.
- When you walk up to someone say " hi, woul'd you like to see a magic trick?" if they say now say politely " Ok, thanks anyway " or any polite phrase that means the same thing. If they want to see it, just make an opener trick, like two card monte, a raven trick, the closer... etc. so they get interested and want to see more, then some people will get around to see, because if you hold a deck of card they are intrigued to see.
- If you have a camera, have a freind to film you doing magic, people will think you are more "professional" or idnk, And then you can watch and see people emotion, and so you can work on your patter. i do this much of the time.

Hope it helped you!
WORK ON PATTER IT'S IMPORTANT!

I'll admit it. You impressed me.

lol It's not a big deal if you can't spell online, as long as your magic makes up the difference.

The way I get a crowd is to go to like a mall or what not pick a spot people walk by alot. Have a friend go with you, then show him a trick have him/her over act his amazement then people will start to come around to see what your doing. It works.

WOW!! I would hate to be his English teacher.
Yeah you can perform at malls and on the streets when you are 15 but I doubt you can live off of the money you make. You're 15, you most likely live at home with parents. This means you don't have to pay: rent, food, electricity, car bills (if you have one), phone bills, mortgage payments (if you have a house, then rent is out of the picture), heating and water bills, hmm, that seems like thousands of dollars worth of money to spend just to stay alive and have shelter. And it seems to me that you said you make enough money to buy tricks here, well, hate to say it buddy but, that isn't enough money to be considered a professional or to live on your own. Study harder, and go to school and you will be able to busk apart from your regular job which will let you live.
The bottom line is that you can perform on the streets when you are 15, if you are good enough. But, you will not make enough money to live off of it, and you will not be taken as seriously as someone who is 18+ and actually looks like an adult, and you will make less money than the same person.
Don't take this as a dampening of spirits, go ahead and perform, get better, then when you are 18 or older, you can make much more money off of it. Just my opinion on it.
Oh and by the way: This is my 200th post!!!!