We've all heard of hypnosis, and it can conjure up some interesting images in our minds. A hypnotherapist was telling me the other day about his experience going to parties.
"When you go to parties, you're sure to hear the dreaded question: 'What do you do?'"
"You should hear some of the things they say after I say I'm a hypnotherapist."
"Like, 'Where's your swinging watch?'"
Each time I hear about that, it gets me laughing.
My experience learning about it draws some parallels between writers who captivate and enthrall you like Chuck Palahniuk and some great natural hypnotists like Chris Rock or Jon Stewart.
That's right. Comedians are natural hypnotists. Before you know it, they get you laughing and you can just become absorbed listening to them tell one joke after another as you expect to have a good even more.
This got me thinking.
If I wrote some articles or essays about the various techniques to entrance a reader, would you be interested in it?
Thanks,
Dan
Hi Dan...
I'm not too sure if articles about hypnosis would go over well here. There may be people who would be interested, me being one of them. But, from what I've found, it's hard to embed commands within a fictional text without it becoming very obvious. Of course, there's the idea of using written subliminals embedded within the text to create a particular outcome. I've found the only way this really works is if you're using a twelve font and working in the command using thirteen font, but the difference in size is obvious. Fiction can, and will, put people in a trance, but it's more about taking the reader out of their reality and into another one. A comedian puts people in a trance because they're funny, and is there really any better way of breaking through a person's sub-mind than laughter? I guess you could use the Zebu Cards, but the language patterns, in my opinion, would come off weird and obvious with the text of a fictional story. The idea is to entrance the people without them knowing, right? Is that your intention?
Maybe you know ways to drop someone into trance using written text that I've never heard or seen. My experience is getting someone into trance is best done in person, using tonality, body language, patterns and commands. This, of course, is if the person is aware they are being hypnotized. My interest always lied with covert or conversational hypnosis. Dropping people into a waking trance always fascinated me and I've studied and researched guys like Milton Erickson, Bandler and Grinder, Dilts, Robbins, Jamie Smart and Igor Ledochowski. I've also gone as far as learning patterns from Ross Jefferies. I've found forms of NLP helful, but a lot was too involved and seemed impractical. Persuasion and influence fascinates me, as well. Guys like Kenrick Cleveland, Joesph Plazo, Cialdini and Kevin Hogan are great. For me, Derren Brown is the master in all the fields. What I love about him is that while he's doing it, whether it's a form of covert manipulation or not, he exploits it as it's happening. If you've ever watched him, you watch knowing that he's going to employ all these techniques, but you never see it coming until he tells you. He doesn't even believe in half the shit he does, but he's fucking amazing at it.
Like I said above, I'm not sure how many people here would be interested, but I know I would. I'm not sure if I'd use it in my stories, but my interest is piqued.
I have a story (it's not up anywhere right now) called "Your Mother's Smile" where I try to use repetition to put the command "When you think of your mother's smile, you'll think of this" into the reader's mind. Mostly repetition and circular thinking where a sentence ends much the same way it starts.
If it goes back up, I'll put a link here. I'm not successful really in the story, I don't think, but it was an attempt at this sort of thing.
Repetition.
Edit: Oh, it is back up. Here's my attempt at it: Your Mother's Smile.
I see what you did there. Lol
I'd be more interested in techniques for hypnosis that I could use as research to develope a story featuring a hypnotist.
But sure entrancing the reader sounds fun, I wouldn't mind reading those articles.
I think Howie just hypnotized me into reading his story.
I don't know if you ever have this experience, but the other day, I was out getting lunch. At my favorite taco joint, I know everyone by name, and I make it a habit to talk with each of those people behind the counter.
One of the things that I like to do is to ask about the details I notice. Many people know that I have a prolific memory for these sorts of things, and they often become the subject of interesting discussion. These days, I swear that some people will make changes to the way they dress or feel just to see if I notice them.
In this particular case, I proceed all the way down the line until I stand in front of Jess at the register. Now, I must admit, I find Jess particularly attractive. She's got this great looking body at just the right height. I'm not even a boobs guy, and even I can admire her well shaped breasts.
When I start talking with her, I notice something different about her, and I'm just searching to find what that is.
"You must be looking at my earrings. Aren't they cool?" she asks.
"Are they keys?" I ask as I look in closer.
"I'm not sure what they are, but they just take you to a whole another universe, don't they?"
And I remember wondering about what just happened at that point right then and there. Because as I look back, I can just imagine me there for a moment being completely mezmerized into a deep trance.
Then she says, "I'll come over and talk to you in just a moment."
At some point right after that, as I find a way to my seat, business picks up as the place becomes busier.
Jess becoming more and more preoccupied, I loop back only when I am finished eating in search of a box to go.
"Hey Jess, can I get a box?"
"No, of course not" as she shuffles over to grab one from the counter.
"Is this big enough?" she asks, her smile broadening across her face.
"Well, it's not big enough to live in," She laughs.
"You know, I'm looking forward to living in a cardboard box." She laughs again.
"But to stay dry, I really think we should wrap it in Saran Wrap to make sure the water stays out."
Trying to stop laughing, she turns and exclaims, "Stop making me laugh! You're distracting me."
I counter, "Is this because you might just enjoy the rest of your day?"
She starts mouthing "No", but you can see her then relaxing her mouth.
"Well, I'm not sure what makes you so cool, Jess, but we'll just have to find out more next time."
I notice her nod approvingly as I walk away.
--
Can you name every technique that exhibits hypnotic influence?
This was good. Some of the technique names I can't remember, so I'll just give you my take on it.
I don't know if you ever have this experience
- Language pattern: 'I don't know if...'
they often become the subject of interesting discussion.
- Basically setting the reader up for an interesting discussion
some people will make changes
- Erickson pattern. Reader can apply the sentence to themselves to understand it.
I'm just searching to find what that is
- I believe that 'searching' would be an unspecified verb. You're not telling us exactly what to search for, but unconsciously we know we're searching for something.
they just take you to a whole another universe, don't they?
- Induction. Within the context 'Don't they' forces the reader to comply because it is in quotes. I can't remember the name of it, but Ross Jefferies uses this a lot.
And I remember wondering about what just happened at that point right then and there.
- Dropping the reader further into trance by making the reader remember and wonder how they've gone into trance.
"I'll come over and talk to you in just a moment."
- 'In just a moment' implies that at the end of the story there will be a discussion. You've set up an outcome.
becoming more and more preoccupied, I loop back only when I am finished
- More dropping. The reader has become engrossed now, and only when the story is finished will they come out of trance.
"Is this big enough?" she asks, her smile broadening across her face.
"Well, it's not big enough to live in," She laughs.
"You know, I'm looking forward to living in a cardboard box." She laughs again.
"But to stay dry, I really think we should wrap it in Saran Wrap to make sure the water stays out."
- This is pretty much standard NLP pick-up technique. There are some innuendos in there. The last line has the suggestion 'I really think we'. You've planted the idea that not just you, but both of you, will be living in the box together. The humor of the dialogue has opened her up to suggestion, and has also dropped the reader further into trance.
"Stop making me laugh! You're distracting me."
- A line directed at the reader. The reader is becoming distracted as well. A confusion technique to make them forget that they are in a trance. Pretty covert.
"Is this because you might just enjoy the rest of your day?"
- Suggesting that she, and the readers, will enjoy the rest of her/our day.
She starts mouthing "No", but you can see her then relaxing her mouth.
- .More confusion and verbal anchors. Although I'm not sure what response she was waiting for, it certainly wasn't this one. When you see her next, she'll associate good feelings towards you.
"Well, I'm not sure what makes you so cool, Jess, but we'll just have to find out more next time."
- A slight neg. Typical Mystery pick-up. 'I'm not so sure what makes you so cool' implies interest on your part and 'we'll just have to find out more next time' plants the seed that there will be a next time. This also sets up a following conversation without actually setting up the conversation.
I notice her nod approvingly as I walk away.
- Compliance and lack of dialogue suggests that she's 'stuck', so to speak, and is at a loss for words.
Like I said, I don't remember exact names for the techniques, but these are the things I found. While it may not be obvious to some people, for me it's very obvious that you're trying to drop someone into trance. There are a lot of unnecessary words and it reads scripted. But, as a hypnotic story, it's written very well.
Thing is that the story didn't have enough hook to really keep most people reading. I sort of skimmed it. You have to do anything, hypnosis, get them lost in the story, whatever, after you have them reading.
This is a demonstration of hypnotic storytelling, not traditional fictional story telling. The idea is to put someone in a trance, not just get them lost in the story.
I understand that. But if they get bored and don't read it you can't do either.
Hence the word, 'demonstration.' Dude probably wrote it up in ten minutes as an example.
R.Moon,
You got many of the patterns. In fact, I think you identify more than I knowingly put in the story. However, with your narrow frame of focus, you're missing some of the broader themes going on.
This story describes actual events. She put me into trance unknowingly much in the same way that the familiar image of a hypnotist may use a swinging watch. Likewise, the dialog itself was real, every bit. You see, hypnosis is a natural phenomenon, and that is the point of this story. There is no need to be 'covert' or to 'conceal' anything that is going on. We're just enjoying ourselves and having a good time.
More than likely you hear about how time flies when you're having fun, right? When you're out having a good time with your friends, maybe at a party or a bar, you may look at your watch and notice it's 6pm and what seems like a minute passes, you look again and it's half past ten. See, when you allow yourself to relax and enjoy yourself, time can just slip away all on its own. Now, what would you call this if you do not call it hypnosis?
I would look again through this story by taking a step back to see how many more patterns go on than initially meets the eye.
Thanks,
Dan
Once hypnotized, are you able to read? I've never seen footage of that.
No one ever said you need to have your eyes clothes to enter a deep hypnotic trance. It's just standard practice to help eliminate unnecessary distractions.
One can have eyes open yet not be in a mindset to both read and comprehend.
The dialogue may very well have happened, I don't doubt that, but in asking what techniques you used, some of those are covert. Maybe you didn't even realize it at the time, but that would imply that you've become good enough that it's natural to you.
Time flies... Yeah, absolutely that's a form of hypnosis. So is listening to music, watching television, reading, driving a car, etc... You asked if we could name every hypnotic influence technique and I did as best as I could. It's been a long time since I've looked at any of this stuff. That's probably why I missed the broader themes.
Cool idea, though. Piques my interest again.
There are so many patterns in there, that the fact that you're searching to pick them out, implies that you're already in a trance.
Do you see how in the top three paragraphs each serves as a distraction against the context provided by each of the other two?
Paragraph 3 typically puts most men into a trance thinking about their ideal beautiful woman and can also be an induction all on its own.
Yet, even in light of this, there's still more. I keep finding new ones each time I read this, and I wrote it. :-D
Sigh.
I understand it was intended as an example of various hypnotic techniques in a forum post. My point, that using such techniques you don't get a pass on hooking the reader early to keep them, stands. I've seen plenty of examples of such in serious attempts. Lots of people do a good job putting in the methods, but fail to make it griping enough fast enough to engage the reader.
Dwayne, stop nay-saying and start giving some examples of what you mean. You're thinking about this, so show us what you're thinking, not just the conclusions you've come to.
Dan - I'd love to see a post laid out with some technique, theory, thoughts on putting your reader into a trance. I've never really thought about it (I'm also going to fall for Bryan's technique's and read his story). I also agree with Dwayne, unless you hook the reader in early, there's probably no amount of technique that's going to put them in that mindset.
But assuming you get your reader invested, I am interested in some technique.
Here's where I think you're stretching though:
that the fact that you're searching to pick them out, implies that you're already in a trance.
A little far fetched. I might call that concentration. If I'm figuring out what 8 divided by 4 is, I'm not in a trance, I'm trying to solve a problem. I guess we could go back & forth on semantics and one could say that a level of concentration is some form of a trance. And I would agree that a good story will put you in a "spell" where you're completely invested in time, energy & focus for that reading section. But I think we're already well aware of that. I'm specifically interested in what you're claiming & Rian seems to be aware of are specific author technique.
In any case, a thread worth following. I'm in a trance til I hit submit.
Any state of narrow awareness or focus is a trance. Like many other things, it comes in many flavors and many intensities. Concentrating on reading something for a moment is probably not too deep of a trance, unless you find yourself being unable to stop thinking about what you read.
On the other hand, if you find yourself "in the zone" or in "flow" while writing intently, it's easy to notice how your attention stays glued to what it is that you're focusing on.
Do you know how many great writers already employ these hypnotic techniques knowingly or unknowingly?
I would re-read Chuck Palahniuk's Guts if you're looking for some good examples. :)
Well, let's use Guts as an example for discussion. I'm sure a lot of us own it and it can be found online here:
http://chuckpalahniuk.net/features/shorts/guts
I'm going to try to read it tonight and I'll check back here for you & some other members' thoughts & discussion.
I have Haunted so I have Guts, I also just reread it a month or two ago as an example in Chuck's craft essay "Submerging the I" posted here at LitReactor, we should add that in on the discussion.
http://litreactor.com/essays/chuck-palahniuk/submerging-the-%E2%80%9Ci%E2%80%9D
@DW --- So concentration is a trance? And any trance is the result of hypnosis?
@JY: I don't believe that any trance is the result of hypnosis, or direct hypnosis. Probably the easiest way to fall into trance without a hypnotic induction ('you're eyes are getting very heavy' type of thing) is television. Ever watch a movie and you find yourself after a few minutes so engrossed in what is going on? That's trance. Ever been driving and suddenly you snap out of it and wonder how you got to where you're going? Trance. Or, and this may have happened to a lot of us on here, you're reading and suddenly you're just staring at the page and a few seconds or minutes goes by. That's a form of trance. Like Dan mentioned above, the whole 'time flies when you're having fun' is another form. I forget the numbers, but everyone goes in and out of trance many times a day. Thing is, unless you understand it, chances are you won't even be aware of it. I believe, and it's been a long time since I've looked at any of this stuff, that there are different 'levels' of trance and formal hypnosis is the easiest way to drop into the deepest form of trance.
Edit: 'I don't believe all trance is a result of hypnosis...'
Is it a trance when you start off reading but maybe you aren't that into what you are reading and you read five pages but don't remember a word. That happens to me all the time. Does that mean the writer induced a trance that makes you more interested in everything else besides what your reading or is it not the writers fault at all?
I'm not entirely sure about that. It happens to me all the time, too, but it's usually because I'm consciously thinking about something else. I don't necessarily think the writer does it on purpose, not your average fiction writers anyway. From what I've seen and read, a written induction has to include the reader somehow (2nd POV). You have to put the reader into a state of mind that this story, in some way, involves them. So, with Dan's story, the first line is 'I don't know if you ever have this experience...' I think it's the only 2nd person sentence in the story, but immediately the reader is being asked if they've ever had this particular experience. 'I don't know if...' is what's called a hypnotic language pattern. There a bunch of these (if I can find them, I'll post them so you can get an idea of what they are). The writer doesn't know if the reader has had this experience, but it immediately makes the reader question whether they've had this particular experience. I don't know if I'm making sense and Dan may be able to better explain.
I'm sure there are writers out that have purposely tried to induce trance, but in my opinion, I don't think it's necessary. Dwayne touched on it about not having a hook. While I think that's part of it, the other part is just writing an engaging story. Hypnotic techniques or not, if your story is interesting and engages the reader it will naturally put the reader into a trance.
Because I know this stuff, when I read Dan's story it was very apparent to me that he was trying to induce a trance. The use of certain words and phrases. As a hypnotic story, it's written well. But as a simple fictional story, it reads weird. Especially since it's in first person. A line like: 'And I remember wondering about what just happened at that point right then and there. Because as I look back, I can just imagine me there for a moment being completely mezmerized into a deep trance' is fine, but if I read that in a book that had nothing to do with hypnosis, it would read very, very weird to me. I don't know if anyone thinks that, but like I said, because I understand this stuff I would easily pick up on it. And, it's in first person. Outside of hypnotic storytelling, I don't think I'd ever read, or even heard, someone speak like this. It just feels forced and robotic, which is almost what you want when you're trying to induce trance. But, it is a really well written piece of hypnotic storytelling, I just don't think it works well as a traditional fictional story.
I also believe it's easier to put someone in trance in person than on paper.
The video below is Derren Brown. In my opinion, he's the fucking master at this shit. There a lot of videos on Youtube that he has and one in particular may be of interest. He proves that Sirhan Sirhan could've very well been hypnotized to kill Robert F. Kennedy. It's a long video and he goes through the whole process, from picking out a candidate to the crazy ass finale. All of it us unbeknowst to the candidate. Derren is huge over in the UK. Anyway, the video below is a short one with the guy from Sean of the Dead. It's more NLP (neuro linguistic programming. Another form of hypnosis, in a sense), but he does use forms of covert, waking hypnosis. It's a great fucking video and if you like it you can find all kinds of shit from Derren. He's a fascinating guy.
This story I wrote was meant to be used as a hypnotic induction explicitly. When I wrote it, I was practicing writing scripts for hypnosis sessions. I think it is much more valuable to look at how hypnotic experiences happen in the real world.
Guts is a great example by Chuck Palahniuk.
Inhale.
Take in as much air as you can.
This story should last about as long as you can hold your breath, and then just a little bit longer. So listen as fast as you can.
The opening lines of Guts are clear direct suggestions and they establish tone and pace for how you read the piece. When used in the right context, they're accepted without hesitation by the reader. Holding your breath and listening as fast as you can builds an affect bridge. Most people do these naturally when they panic.
As anxiety develops, Chuck delivers a scene which would make people feel uneasy by describing pegging. He's building a theme that all of these experiences create self consciousness. And with each scene, the experience grows stronger and stronger.
Each anecdote is delivered in a way to provide a progressively stronger response which further builds expectation.
Once you see each theme, it's easy to see how Chuck establishes expectation. These components are essential for building new pattern matches in the minds of the listener.
That's not all that's there.
What else do you notice?
