new book test effect? ungimmicked

Nov 12, 2007
35
0
This morning I thought of a method for a book test that I don't think has been created or used before, I am not very familiar with book tests, but I want to see if mine is original without exposing the method. So I will give a description of what happens, and if anyone knows of a book test that is similar or the same, please let me know. I don't want to claim a method as my own and find out later that someone else made it already.

First let me say that although there is a small preparation for this effect (less than 30 seconds) there are no gimmicks used whatsoever. A spectator is handed a piece of paper that says:
Page#____
Line#____
Word#____
They can freely choose any numbers they want to fill out the paper. Then they fold it and set it on the table.

Spec#2 Picks any book they want, totally ungimmicked, can be from a selection of books on a table or from a book shelf, whatever. They pick up the paper and go to the page number that spec#1 wrote down, count down to the line# and count to the Word#. They remember the word, and close the book. They don't write it down, and nobody else has to see it. you never get near the book, you don't even have to look at the book.

The magician's back can be turned for this whole trick, or can be in another room. And you can instantly tell them the word they were thinking of, as well as the numbers that were written down. In fact, you can use this effect as a prediction too. You can write you're prediction down on paper with the word, and the numbers that will be written down. set it on the table, never touch it again, and this will work with 100% accuracy. Can be instantly repeated.

has anybody ever heard of something like that?
thank you many much, fellow(s).
 
Nov 12, 2007
35
0
My Word by Corinda is almost identical to the method I've devised. However, I have some thoughts and things that I think could drastically improve the original effect. I would be glad to share the method with devoted magicians who will perform it, but I don't want to post a youtube tutorial where any old person could find it, so maybe I will write down instructions to my presentation and handling and post a link to it... eventually lol.

Thanks Dicer.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
My Word by Corinda is almost identical to the method I've devised. However, I have some thoughts and things that I think could drastically improve the original effect. I would be glad to share the method with devoted magicians who will perform it, but I don't want to post a youtube tutorial where any old person could find it, so maybe I will write down instructions to my presentation and handling and post a link to it... eventually lol.

Why not keep this to yourself? I knew the method by reading it (and confirmed it by looking at 13 Steps). Anyone with experience in Mentalism would known the method. At least half (probably most) of the people who would ask for the method just want to know the secret. I suspect they won't perform it because they won't appreciate the potential of the method. If they do perform it, chances are they will butcher the presentation by just blurting out the word as soon as it I found. Anyone who is seriously interested, can get 13 Steps and then discuss ideas for improving the effect.
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,483
3
A Land Down Under
I have had a bit of experience using My Word and a few other variations (Spelmann's and Cavilli's are both amazing). I would not mind hearing your thoughts on the effect as it is a very clean and direct book test, to begin with.
 
Nov 12, 2007
35
0
well here are my thoughts, I like to use a hat or bag of some sort, have everyone in the audience write down a page number, line number, and word number, have everyone crumple their paper up and have them pass the hat around and throw their number in the hat "to ensure that it is totally random, and to prove that the person who was selected to open the book and find a word is not a stooge." The kicker (if you're a magician) is that I have the spectator pull out a piece of paper.

Also, I like to ask the audience if anyone has a book that I can borrow, I only do this for the mind reading application, not the prediction application, because for the prediction, the very first thing I do is write down the predicted word. anyway, I flip through to show that it's 'just an ordinary book'. I like to have a spectator right next to me as I do this, I tell them to read a sentence or two. I am sure that if you know the method you can guess from here what I am doing while they read.

Another thing I like to do is leave a lighter on the table, once they've found the word, I ask them to burn the paper. It's also handy to have a small metal bucket or trash can for them to throw it in while it burns for obvious safety reasons. Just a little personal style.

These are a few of the things I like to do with it, hope it helps!
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,483
3
A Land Down Under
It sounds similar to the Spelmann idea, one thing I would remove though would be the hat, use a nice crystal bowl or even the plastic that looks like crystal. Placing something in your hat looks very unprofessional. All in all it is a nice idea.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
Why burn the paper? If you were really a psychic why would you do that? If I'm a layman it looks like you are burning the evidence of a trick.

Also, why mention stooges? It is like magicians who tell the audience they are using a "regular deck" or say that "every card is different" - the mention of a method that isnt used suggests that a different method IS being used. The suggestiontickets that therea is athe method makesthat your performanceeffects a meremethod trick. If you need to disprove a method do it through the structure of the routine and do it subtlely.
 
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