Write as |
Practice your writing by typing out classic literature. This method not only enhances your understanding of rhythm, structure, and nuances but also connects you deeply with the timeless flow of literary history.This is a BETA version.
Crime and Punishment
by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Crime and Punishment is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It was first published in the literary journal The Russian Messenger in twelve monthly installments during 1866. It is the second of Dostoyevsky's full-length novels following his return from 5 years of exile in Siberia and is considered the first great novel of his "mature" period of writing. The novel is often cited as one of the supreme achievements in literature.
“Clear? Why don’t you catch him then?” he cried, maliciously gibing at Zametov. “Well, they will catch him.” “Who? You? Do you suppose you could catch him? You’ve a tough job! A great point for you is whether a man is spending money or not. If he had no money and suddenly begins spending, he must be the man. So that any child can mislead you.” “The fact is they always do that, though,” answered Zametov. “A man will commit a clever murder at the risk of his life and then at once he goes drinking in a tavern. They are caught spending money, they are not all as cunning as you are. You wouldn’t go to a tavern, of course?” Raskolnikov frowned and looked steadily at Zametov. “You seem to enjoy the subject and would like to know how I should behave in that case, too?” he asked with displeasure. “I should like to,” Zametov answered firmly and seriously. Somewhat too much earnestness began to appear in his words and looks. “Very much?” “Very much!” “All right then. This is how I should behave,” Raskolnikov began, again bringing his face close to Zametov’s, again staring at him and speaking in a whisper, so that the latter positively shuddered. “This is what
Other classics
Virginia Woolf
Mrs. Dalloway
August Strindberg
Inferno
Franz Kafka
The Metamorphosis
Henry David Thoreau
Walden
Marcel Proust
Swann's Way
Victoria Benedictsson
Modern
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
Cranford
Ernest Hemingway
In Our Time
Mary Shelley
Frankenstein
Louisa May Alcott
Aunt Jo’s Scrap-Bag Vol. 1
August Strindberg
Röda Rummet
Herman Melville
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale
Hjalmar Söderberg
Förvillelser
F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby
Lewis Carroll
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Marcel Proust
Within a Budding Grove
William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
Jane Austen
Emma
Emily Brontë
Wuthering Heights
Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian GrayWhy Type a Masterpiece?
Typing out classical literature is not just an exercise in patience; it's a deeply immersive way to understand the rhythm, structure, and nuances of great writing. By manually reproducing the works of renowned authors, you engage with the text on a level that reading alone cannot offer. This method allows you to feel the flow of sentences, the choice of words, and the intricate construction of paragraphs that make these works timeless.
Style is a very simple matter; it is all rhythm. Once you get that, you can't use the wrong words.
– Virginia Woolf
literati is a unique platform where writers can select from a vast collection of public domain classics to type out. This practice is akin to a musician playing pieces by the masters to internalize the elements of composition and performance. Just as the musician learns the subtleties of each note and chord, the writer learns the power of each word and sentence.
Prose is like hair; it shines with combing.
– Gustave Flaubert
Engaging directly with masterpieces allows writers to absorb the rhythm of the text, the ebb and flow of its pacing, and the beauty of its imagery. It cultivates an appreciation for the craft of writing and provides invaluable lessons in how to construct compelling narratives, develop characters, and evoke emotions in readers. Happy typing!
The only truth is music.
– Jack Kerouac