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Till now, all the mentalism I've performed, most of it is physical, if you catch my drift. Now I'm interested in the 'Kentonism' part of mentalism, the psychological ploys, the deft words.. and so on..

Has anyone purchased and used Wonder Words tapes by Kenton Knepper ? Is it worth the investment it asks ? I couldn't find a review, so am posting it here. Any words of advice from a current practitioner of Wonder Words would be greatly helpful..

Thanks in anticipation..

i'd say give it at least another year or two (easy) before delving into wonder words - not cos i think you "can't handle it" or anything, just that its a big old concept - and its better to get a wider knowledge of the old school approach of mentalism first, and feel comfortable in that before going onto the other stuff...

think of it as adding extras to a pizza - eat the deep pan cheese, tomato and pepperoni, before adding the chicken and chilli peppers....a rubbish analogy obviously...

but now i fancy a slice of pizza...

anyway, thats my opinion - and if you want to have a taster of it all, try the book kentonism instead...and maybe ultimately under too...

I'll take a look into the book Iain. Is there an 'easier' way to introduce psychological ploys into my mentalism ? Any relevant material you could suggest ?

if its out and re-printed, banachek's PS1 and PS2...

i would say though, that maybe the next book for you is Paul Brook's Alchemical Tools...there's reviews around here and other sites...

it'll save me typing out a long drawn out post!

Thanks, I'll be sure to take a look !

PS1 will be coming out this fall (according to Scott Wells, Banachek's main merchandising manager) and will be in around $50.00 in cost

I will echo what Iain said about Wonder Words but at the same time, I'm of the belief that there is no time like the present, when it comes to polishing one's communication skills, which is (at least in part) what Wonder Words is all about.

Taking classes in communication technique, casual conversational science, etiquette as well as marketing and advertising are going to give you a potent edge when it comes to interacting with patrons and participants. Not just on stage but during negotiations for a contract and in life as a whole.

Wonder Words is also a tool that applies to the whole of Magical performance and not just Mentalism. For that matter, it would prove a good side-study for most anyone working in a field that involves stage management of participants during any sort of program... even if you're just doing an Amway pitch. But it is a thing that is never ending that can prove quite demanding and thus, not for everyone.

You might want to simply start by doing some vocabulary building exercises. I have a little ritual I used to do, in which I'd take one or two words (in order of listing) from each letter in the alphabet, learn their meanings, alternative terms (as you'd find in a Thesaurus) and antonyms. It would be a month long study on 26 terms that can render some very eye opening revelations -- tools that can be applied across the proverbial board.

As per the suggestion to get some added formal training under your belt. some of it might prove of benefit to your existing employer so you may be able to get them to cover part or all of the tuition involved; take advantage of this in that it will lend to you some serious resume kudos that paint you as a person serious about their job and loyal, when it comes to taking actions that will benefit the company as a whole. But also understand that some of this added education can be found in small workshops, night courses, or even as being part of a club/civic group such as the Rotary Club and Toast Masters; sources that will help you learn how to use your voice, body language, etc.

As you work with these areas over the next year or two and become more cognizant of their use and application, you will be preparing yourself to take the steps shared by Kenton and Tank in Wonder Words and not so ironically, find what they say a bit familiar instead of daunting.

Best of luck!

I toyed with buying the CD set ($150ish) some time ago. But, after failing to find a decent review and looking at the sales pitch, couldn't figure out why buying these would be any better than just using NLP and Ericksonian language techniques.

As a comparison, I'm thinking of some of the therapy books on Erisckonian hypnosis as they concentrate on language, plus one or two others I have like Monsters and Magical Sticks, Training Trances, Ericksonian Approches, Sleight of Mouth etc. All of these are absolutely brilliant to read if you are remotely interested in language, persuasion, suggestion, hypnosis and what have you.

What I'm wondering is how and why does Wonder Words differ from any of these? Is it just a rehash or retake on what's already out there?

Sorry for hijacking Hardik, I hope you don't mind, as it's on the same subject

I could hardly call it hijacking. Thanks Craig for the post. I realize it's never the wrong time to learn anything. However I think I'll stick to some general reading on NLP techniques and whatever I can read about it online

The series of tapes cost quite a lot, and I have to think about my post-graduation now! ( BTW, I'm thinking of UK as a plausible destination.. Thinking of applying to Manchester, Bath, Sheffield, So'ton.. and some more.. Anyone has any idea about job scenario ?? )

Now that's thread hijacking..

Hijack Mode On

Well, if you decide on Manchester or Sheffield, we'll have to meet up for a coffee or pint. I only live an hour away from both

Hijack Mode Off

As for Wonder Words, I'd have to see some very persuasive arguments to get me to part with $150 for three CD's. I have learned a lot from the books I mentioned above and many others along the same lines. You could get all of those with change to spare for the same money.

I liked it so much, I bought it again on CDs. The trouble is, 'Wonder Words' is almost unreviewable in a meaningful way. It's basically three dics of Kenton talking about words and the ideas and meanings you can create through them. There are a few tricks in there, but it's mainly about Kenton's suggestions (in more ways than one) to enhance your magic.

I loved the ideas and, while I really haven't listened to the discs/tapes enough, there were some things in there that I work into effects, on occasion.

On the other hand, I have absolutely no idea if the stuff works, and it'd be very easy for someone else to find the set a complete waste of money. I know some people have.

So, I'd say - if you aren't sure you want to buy 'Wonder Words', don't buy it. Spend your money on some good books, as Wishmaster suggests.

Hardik, going a bit off-topic here, but what would your post-graduate study involve? The work scenario in this country is not great, but there are still jobs around, especially for skilled people.

I am in my final year of undergrad in Computer Science, and am looking to specialize in networking and security in my post-graduation. I'm keeping UK as an option apart from major colleges in the States. I myself would love the prospect of a PhD but the fees for international students is way too much for me to afford (almost 20+k GBP per yr.)

Anyway, thanks for your 'convincing words'. I get more tempted but I'll defer the purchase of Wonder Words till at least I have a job

Part-Timer wrote:I loved the ideas and, while I really haven't listened to the discs/tapes enough, there were some things in there that I work into effects, on occasion.

That's the thing. If I were performing for money and was reasonably sure I'd use the techniques regularly, it would be money well spent. For occasional use, I'd just be thinking of all the other things I could get for so much money, like all those books.

Part-Timer wrote:On the other hand, I have absolutely no idea if the stuff works, and it'd be very easy for someone else to find the set a complete waste of money. I know some people have.

Which is also a very good argument levelled at NLP by some people. I know a few who have studied NLP to Diploma level and decided it's a complete waste of time and basically snake oil. I disagree, but can understand and respect their point. It's not for everyone.