Wonderful!
You are looking into the most undervalued aspect of magic by beginners. Every expert will tell you that magic has that “something else” and that is why some people get great reactions when performing the same effect while others get no reaction at all. We might even say that magic theory helps turn a magic trick into a magic effect (read this post to clarify the distinction).
When doing a triumph (every card is facing one way except for the selection), should every card be face down and the selection face up? Or the contrary?
Does it make sense to sign a card in this situation? Will a visual colour change work better than transforming the card while face down?
These are questions you should be asking yourself. The overall effect of your magic will suffer or benefit from the combination of hundreds of details. Start to question and you will end up a better performer. As Leonardo Da Vinci and Dai Vernon (“The Professor”) used to say:
“Details make perfection but perfection is no detail”
The rhythm, the pauses, the why you do this and that. Making magic more meaningful. All of this subjects are included in the study magic theory. Despite the common misconception, this theory is actually quite practical and will have a notorious effect over your performance.
Learning a new effect might add to your repertoire and give you three more minutes of wonder. Improving yourself as a magician will enhance everything you already know.
There are many topics that you can learn and all of them will benefit you. Keep in mind that there are no absolute truths. We enter the field of psychology and emotion, you will get many different opinions from different performers, but that is the wonder of it. There is no perfect recipe for success in magic, there are many that work wonderfully well. The goal is to find what works for you. By understanding the process behind the effects of the already experienced magicians, you will be one step closer to finding your own recipe.
Time and experience are the absolute best teachers of Magic Theory, this being said, there are have been published quite a few very interesting volumes on the matter:
-Magic in Mind by Joshua Jay
Available for free. Here you have a huge collection of essays from several (not free) books. What we love the most about this book is that it is a compilation from several different authors giving you different views on the same matter. You can get a taste of many different mindsets without having to buy a single book. If you are passionate about magic, you will love going through the pages of this book. Be ready to agree and disagree with the many quoted magicians but most of all, be ready to learn.
-Strong Magic & Designing Miracles by Darwin Ortiz
Game changers. Both books are incredible in providing you insight from one of the most respected card magicians on the planet. These books will be an invaluable tool in understanding the process behind making an effect great, how to manage an audience, use suspense and many other important components in performing
-The Magic Way by Juan Tamariz
By the great Spanish magician, Juan Tamariz, this books is an in-depth study of the practice. By analysing his own effects and exposing his own theories, Tamariz is providing you with a shortcut to upgrade your magic. Written by the most respected magician alive today, The Magic Way shouldn’t be ignored.