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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.

Type the words from the book. We gave you 4 words to start with.

The first volume of Proust's seven-part novel, In Search of Lost Time, Swann's Way is the auspicious beginning of Proust's most prominent work. A mature, unnamed narrator recalls his experiences while growing up in the home of his aunt and uncle. This novel is notable for its profound psychological insight and the author's reflections on the nature of art and time.

Read more about Marcel Proust
Swann's Way
angling for an invitation to the house. Her father would then arrange
a cloak over her shoulders, they would clamber into a little dog-cart
which she herself drove, and home they would both go to Montjouvain.
As for ourselves, the next day being Sunday, with no need to be up and
stirring before high mass, if it was a moonlight night and warm, then,
instead of taking us home at once, my father, in his thirst for personal
distinction, would lead us on a long walk round by the Calvary, which my
mother's utter incapacity for taking her bearings, or even for knowing
which road she might be on, made her regard as a triumph of his
strategic genius. Sometimes we would go as far as the viaduct, which
began to stride on its long legs of stone at the railway station, and
to me typified all the wretchedness of exile beyond the last outposts of
civilisation, because every year, as we came down from Paris, we would
be warned to take special care, when we got to Combray, not to miss
the station, to be ready before the train stopped, since it would start
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Why 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

More on this topic:

"Imitate then innovate", an article by David Perell