Ask the Author: Steve Piers
Answered Questions (7)
Steve Piers
I take friends with me to the Magician's conventions. They are non-magicians and find the behind the scenes work fascinating. We got into conversation after a lecture with a magician who asked why laypeople (as magicians call them) would have any interest in attending lectures. My friends explained that they don't have much interest in seeing magic performance, but they find the mechanics behind the scenes to be intricate, clever and fascinating. Magical thinking can elevate a simple process to an incredible illusion and my friends have told me so often that understanding the processes increases the enjoyment of watching the performance. Many magicians may disagree but by keeping the secrets it presents a barrier to entry to magic as a hobby or profession.
Derren Brown, in my opinion, is the greatest magician there has ever been. His live shows are exceptional. The purpose of the book is to give an insight into how these tricks are performed. By learning the basics of such an incredible performer, I believe we can all become better magicians.
Derren Brown, in my opinion, is the greatest magician there has ever been. His live shows are exceptional. The purpose of the book is to give an insight into how these tricks are performed. By learning the basics of such an incredible performer, I believe we can all become better magicians.
Steve Piers
I see things in my life that stay in my mind and bother me, or inspire me. For example, Fake Psychic was written at a convention for magicians and was inspired by a conversation in a bar with a group of magicians who were branching out into other areas of the craft. A couple of them had stopped being legitimate magicians (where the audience knows it's all a trick) and had started promoting themselves as Psychics, contacting the dead in exchange for money. This line of work is clearly unethical and the whole industry (to me) is complete nonsense, littered with fraudulent people like this. I decided a short story that explains the process combined with a dark comedy story would be a good way to process that.
Steve Piers
A collection of short stories, around 7000 words each. I often find myself somewhere where a five minute read would be perfect.
Steve Piers
Do it. I worked in a call centre for many years and saw a lot of untapped talent, drudging through the day dealing with angry customers. If you can write, do it. Who knows where it will take you.
Steve Piers
I spent 25 years working in office or retail environments, moving from one stressful position to the next. Writing became a way to clear my mind of everyday issues, and I have since realised that spending 40 - 50 hours a week working is a huge waste of time. Having left my job, I am able to spend that time being creative and this has had a huge knock on effect into all aspects of well-being.
Steve Piers
There was an anecdote I heard years ago, (and I may have the wrong names here), it was about Frederick Forsyth meeting Agatha Christie for the first time. He said he would love to be able to write those incredible "whodunnit" stories, and asked her what the secret was to creating such a complex, detailed, twisty plot. She replied that she writes the story as it comes to her, creates a situation and characters, then when she has written about 80% of the book she goes back to the beginning, proof reads it all, and looks at which character could not possibly be the murderer. Then, she adds a few clues throughout the book then goes to write the rest of the book, revealing the murderer, as if she knew this all along. I love this - it reminds you that the reader takes in the story a line at a time from the beginning to the end, where the writer can do whatever they like.
So when I get writer's block, I go back and read what wrote before. During the writing, I use the bottom of the document as a scratchpad and continually add ideas and thoughts as I write. When I get writer's block I go for a walk without any earphones or distractions. My mind will wander and sometimes thoughts will pop in from somewhere. When I'm back I add these ideas to the scratchpad and see what comes together. By the end of the process there will be a lot of ideas that do not get used, but they could turn up in a future book. However, any of these ideas can be inserted into the text I've already written to open up a way in to the next chapter.
So when I get writer's block, I go back and read what wrote before. During the writing, I use the bottom of the document as a scratchpad and continually add ideas and thoughts as I write. When I get writer's block I go for a walk without any earphones or distractions. My mind will wander and sometimes thoughts will pop in from somewhere. When I'm back I add these ideas to the scratchpad and see what comes together. By the end of the process there will be a lot of ideas that do not get used, but they could turn up in a future book. However, any of these ideas can be inserted into the text I've already written to open up a way in to the next chapter.
Steve Piers
Corinda's 21 Steps to Mentalism.
Steven King (a few older ones I never started)
Derren Brown - Happy
Steven King (a few older ones I never started)
Derren Brown - Happy
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