The night circus by Erin morgenstern has my favorite descriptions of magic and magicians I’ve probably ever read. It’s very obscured and accurate descriptions. She explicitly tells the reader what’s happening but you don’t explain how or why while giving subtle nods and hints to things that might be going on.

Currently listening to the ebook “magician” by Feist. I guess it depends on world setting, is it high fantasy, low fantasy, is the magician a grifter in a no-magic world, or an entertainer, a scholar, or a realistic depiction of an actual stage magician? All real life magic is based on illusion, and the story/prattle is as important as the trick behind the illusion. In saying that, magic can also be ritualistic, like interpretive dance where the steps don’t matter, but the reasons and intention behind them do. If writing from that point of view, you can be obtuse, and I would recommend having a glance at The Satanic Bible by LaVey which would be a description of magic by a magician (or charlatan) which would help get in the mindset of a character. Never reveal the tricks, only describe the illusion, as that’s what draws people to magic in the first place.

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