My Creative Process by Michael Rubinstein

Dec 1, 2021 • 15 min read

Most coin magicians perform routines published or performed by magicians in books, DVDs, or downloads. And it’s great that today there are so many good coin workers out there, putting out material that can be used by others. But when a person takes a trick they learned and makes it his own, or performs a new routine, that is really special. I wish more people would try to do that, but many are either too content to perform a routine the way it is taught, or they just don’t know how to personalize it.

Over the years people have come up and asked me how I come up with my own ideas. The easy answer is that it is a process, developed over time, to the point where it becomes second nature. The long answer is to define the process. In this essay, I would like to outline as best I can my process in how I create coin magic.

Before I begin, I want to point out that this is my own process, but there are many other good references to look at. One can glean much valuable information by reading books such as The Trick Brain, by Daniel Fitzkee (part of the Fitzkee Trilogy), or Scripting Magic, by Pete McCabe. Remember that there is no RIGHT way; just the way that works best for you. I break down my own creative process into three sections: Playing with coins, Personalizing or improving an existing routine, and Creating a brand new routine.

1. Playing With Coins.

This is probably the most abstract part of the creative process. When I am relaxed, watching TV or listening to music, or just taking a walk, I have coins in my hand. And, I manipulate them. I don’t think about what I am doing; I just move them around from one hand to the other in different ways. Back, front, sliding, propelling, clipping, gripping, etc. Sometimes, I realize I did something interesting and focus on what I just did. That may create a spark to develop a new move. I should point out that this is a hit or miss process—mostly miss. But, at the least, it is fun and keeps the fingers mobile! Sometimes I have a goal when I start this process. I decide I want to develop a specific type of move, say a new click pass, and work on focusing my actions to try to come up with something. Often, I start with the coins in a position I might encounter during a routine, or I have been working on a routine which requires a click pass, but none of the existing ones I know would work without changing the position of the coins. This is the more successful of the two situations. Sometimes a new move is created, or you find a way to refine and improve an existing move. Sometimes you develop something that doesn’t suit your needs for the particular routine you are working on, but it gets stored for possible later use somewhere else.

One important thing to realize is that if you come up with something that appears new, be sure to do the appropriate research to make sure it hasn’t already been published or performed by someone else. When I was young, I remember being very proud of something I came up with. Back then, the NY guys would meet every Saturday in a cafeteria, deli, or pizza parlor (depending on the decade) and it was easy to show the guys in the know something new and get their feedback. I remember being very disappointed when Sam Schwartz pointed out that Vernon had come up with "my idea" many years prior. Sensing my disappointment, he told me that I should be proud that I came up with it after being in magic only a few years, while Vernon had been in magic for a much longer period. But I learned that nothing should be considered original until it has been properly vetted. Books, periodicals, and the old timers who I considered to be the scholars of magic (back then I was fortunate to be able to hang out with the “guys”, like Sol Stone, Sam Schwartz, Ken Krenzel, Harry Lorrayne, and so many others from the NY scene) all play a part in that vetting process.

2. Personalizing or Improving an Existing Routine.

Imagine that we could do real magic. Forget for a moment that we are not fighting crime, but instead we are using those vast powers to make four coins travel from one hand to the other. What would that look like? Start with four coins in the left hand, then one by one they magically appear in the other hand. Magic. Anything else that we try to do without magic powers is flawed because it is an action that takes away from real magic. Placing coins into one hand with the other hand before it travels is a flaw. Placing the coins on a table after the arrival is a flaw. Not being able to freely show an empty hand before the magic happens is a flaw. Fingers that are contorted to convey an empty hand is a flaw. I submit that every Coins Across (and every coin trick for that matter) is flawed because the bottom line is that we just cannot do real magic. We need to find good methods that allow us to perform the illusion of magic, and that means we have to put flaws into our routines. So my first rule: Every coin trick will become more magical looking as we eliminate flaws in the routine.

So, when we learn a routine, assume that there will be flaws. Those flaws may be totally acceptable to the person who developed the routine, as they discovered that it was the best way to get from point A to point B. But is that the best way for you? You come with a different set of creative tools because your pathway in learning and performing will be different than the person who published the routine. You might have studied other styles or techniques that the original creator didn't like or even know. You might use a different set of moves, or maybe the creator is more knowledgeable than you and may perform at a level that is too difficult for your ability. As you analyze the routine and it uses a move that doesn’t feel comfortable for you, feel free to change it to something that suits you better. Sure, it is possible that the routine is great the way it is, but is there a better way? Your goal is to find a better way. A different move may be better for you, less awkward, and look more magical. Or maybe not. But that is how you should analyze the trick. Remember that there will always be flaws, even when you improve a routine. Your job is to eliminate as many flaws as possible until you are comfortable enough with the structure and magical appearance of the routine to perform it for an audience. I used to do a coins across routine with coins placed on a table after every passage, using an extra coin. Then, I used the table only once instead of with each passage. Finally, no table was needed, which meant I could perform it as a walk-around trick. The use of an extra coin was a flaw because I was stuck at the end and had to find a way to show my hands clean. Lapping? Not if I am standing up. Sleeving? What if I want to wear a short sleeve shirt. Matting? Not always practical. A holdout? Gotta get the coin in there. A utility pass? Still not finishing clean. What other ways? Maybe, find a way with no extra coin. Wait, that created a flaw because now I was not one ahead. So I figured out a way to be one ahead without an extra coin by using a shell. But then I had to find a way to ring the shell in and out of the routine. If the coins can’t be examined, that's a flaw. Maybe instead of a shell or extra coin, just use a false count to get one ahead. And so on. As you can see, every time you try to fix a flaw in the routine, something else appears that you might need to fix.

3. Creating a Brand New Routine.

This is probably the most difficult, yet most enjoyable part of the process. Starting with a brand new idea is not easy. Sometimes an idea sparks from a phrase ("It's up your sleeve," was likely the genesis for Roth's Sleeve trick). Sometimes, a move sparks an idea that generates a routine. One time I found a way to show my hand empty as I put four coins through a table while standing up, and from that an entire routine developed. You will probably be able to come up with a lot of ideas once you look at every object as a prop for a coin trick.

To explain this process, let's start with an idea and see how it develops into a routine. First, does this coin trick use coins of the same denomination, or coins of different colors, sizes, and/or countries of origin? Will this coin trick be a sleight of hand trick, or will it use gaffed coins? Will this be a 'pure' coin trick, or will it use props? These questions often answer themselves as you flesh out an idea. So, let's say I want to develop a new trick for a stand-up show setting, as opposed to table hopping or sitting down (and these thoughts may change as you refine the trick). Usually, a trick for this situation is more interesting when a prop is introduced. So, let's focus on an idea that can utilize a prop rather than just a coin manipulation trick (i.e., any trick that just involves using your hands and some coins). Props can be anything, and whatever prop you use can help decide the effect. A salt and pepper shaker was all Goshman needed to create the showpiece he became known for. Johnny Ace Palmer delighted his audience with a Snoopy figurine that bowed. Roth figured out amazing routines with just a felt hole, a tuning fork, or a pencil sharpener.

So what could we use that would make sense and help develop our trick? To explain my process, I thought it would be best to use one of my existing tricks as an example. Let’s talk about a simple form of my latest showpiece, which is now the closing piece in my act. I started by thinking about performing a trick that would honor the memory of my friend, David Roth, who sadly passed away earlier this year. David developed a lot of great magic, but he will always be known for his showpieces using props. David always felt that props made the routine more interesting and helped to tell a story. Although our styles are different, I was fortunate to work closely with David over the years and came to understand his way of thinking.

So now I had the premise: a showpiece honoring David, performed standing up (my style) at a table and using a prop of some type. What next? I looked around the room and had purses, bags, boxes, cups, chalices, purse frames, incense burners/candle holders, lighters, cell phones, chargers, a DVD and case, dog toys, and a multitude of coins to choose from. A million ideas came to mind as I looked at everything, but nothing hit me for that particular idea of honoring David. That’s when my third rule hit me: Creativity can't be forced.

I had this great idea, but nothing came to mind immediately. So I just sat on it and waited. Then one day, I read some comments about a coin trick for sale on the Magic Cafe. The comments were pretty snarky, and one guy in particular was very nasty to the creator. He kept saying that he doesn't like coin magic because everyone knows that it's always in the other hand. And then it hit me... my routine would use an extra hand, and the premise would be that a coin would vanish completely and always appear under the hand because... the coin is always in the other hand.

At first, I thought I would do a Goshman Salt and Pepper–type trick, so I searched the internet and bought various hands. I got different hand types and sizes (for research) and played with them to determine what would best hide the coin and be easiest to work with—plastic, rubber, small, large, gory, etc. For this routine, it seemed that similar coins would work best, and since this was a trick to honor David, I used 64 Kennedy half dollars. Even better, I inherited many of David's coins after he passed, so I used his coins! Things started to come together. I settled on two hands that seemed the right size and texture, thinking that I could have a copper coin appear in one hand and a silver coin in the other (like Goshman with his salt and pepper shakers). As I played with the props, however, I soon realized that two hands were too much if I wanted to keep it simple and direct. So, I scaled down to one hand and decided that I would call it David's "other" hand. That made a bit more sense.

Moving along, I followed some simple rules of magic. First, an introduction to establish my premise where I would introduce the props. I got a box that would hold the hand perfectly, and as I talked, I would bring out the box, open it, and reveal the "other" hand. Next, I introduced the effect: a coin vanishes and appears in the "other" hand. I needed a way to introduce the coins, so it was convenient to have them in the box as well. The coins would come out of the box, but how? A purse with coins was an easy answer. Perhaps only one coin was used. So, I introduced the routine with some introductory patter, produced the props, discussed them, and then began the magic. To make the sequence work, I needed to be one step ahead, so a coin was pre-loaded under the hand before the magic began. I removed a coin from the purse and made it vanish. The first vanish and appearance under the hand was a surprise. I repeated the sequence, establishing the effect of coins vanishing and appearing in the "other" hand. Then came a twist—doing something unexpected. I performed a flurry to extend the magic and lengthen the routine, then caused the vanish. The audience expected the coin to be under the hand, but when I lifted it, there was no coin. Where was it? Well, I already had a purse on the table and a box that had held everything on the side. Producing the coin from one of those props would be unexpected, so instead of it appearing under the hand as expected, the coin went back into the purse. There was only one coin in it to begin with, so the coin's reappearance in the purse was yet another surprise, and I now had two props playing off each other. This was something David liked to do: using a purse frame with a portable hole, or a purse with a glass; even combining a sleeve with a mirror. The use of a second prop diversified the routine and helped solve various problems. In this case, a coin came out of the purse, vanished and appeared under the hand, vanished again and appeared under the hand, vanished and then reappeared not under the hand but back in the purse. The magic could be extended further by additional play with the coin and the purse (remember, it's a magic trick, and you get to decide how the magic happens). To finish the trick, the coin finally vanished to once again appear under the hand—a perfect closure for the routine.

Now comes the hard part: making this a reality. As you develop the routine, you ensure that you can perform the techniques that make the magic happen. There may be moments when you realize that a complete vanish is more elusive than secretly holding the coin in your hand. If so, can you retrieve the coin, or do you need another coin? That’s where the purse comes in handy, as you can discard coins one way and retrieve them another way.

After constructing the routine and figuring out the necessary moves, you need to develop patter that justifies your actions and makes the trick interesting. I selected a premise that these were David's props, so my patter hinged on that. Once you have the premise, the right props, a method to make the magic happen, and a story tying it together, you can begin to refine the routine.

First, film yourself performing the routine. Using your performance, write down the script. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect—that’s what the script is for. Film multiple performances and watch them all. Here’s what to look for:

1. Did you flash? Was there a repeatable flash in each performance? Write down all the flash points and work to eliminate them.
2. Were there unnecessary actions or moves? Strange finger movements? Flaws? Eliminating unnecessary actions and flaws will make everything look more magical.
3. Were there moves that were very difficult to execute? A practical routine allows you to concentrate on performance rather than on executing difficult moves.
4. Tighten the patter. What unnecessary words can be eliminated? Is the intro too long? Try to get into the magic as quickly as possible to keep your audience’s interest. Are you speaking too much between actions? Analyze the script and correct it. Once, I realized I was talking for over a minute between actions. That detracted from the magic, even though I thought the patter was clever at the time. Once I trimmed it, the routine became tighter and held the audience’s interest better.

Fix what you can and repeat the process by performing the routine several times. With each performance, you will improve. Remember, practicing a script is like an actor rehearsing lines for a play. I made it a habit to repeat my script three times a day—while walking my dog, in the shower, and during dedicated practice sessions where I filmed multiple takes and studied them closely.

That brings me to my fourth rule: A trick is ready to be performed when you gain the confidence to execute it without failure. When the moves become second nature and smooth, with all flaws and unnecessary movements eliminated, and the patter is tight enough that you can perform it in your sleep, then you’re ready to perform live.

You may find that in performance, certain moments elicit unexpected laughter—or not at all. Perhaps there’s a line that works better live. That may indicate that further refinement is needed. But hopefully, all your hard work will be recognized, and you’ll receive applause for a routine well done!

In closing, this is my personal process. Use what works best for you. I hope this encourages you to think of new ways to perform your coin magic. Feel free to drop me a note with your thoughts on this article. And if you haven’t yet taken the plunge, my book Rubinstein Coin Magic offers over 50 new moves and techniques along with over 100 routines from some of the best coin workers around—all designed to help improve your coin magic. The book is available at dealers everywhere, and if you’d like a signed copy along with an exclusive free gift, please contact me for ordering information at rubinsteindvm@aol.com.