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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.

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The Horror at Red Hook

by H.P. Lovecraft

The Horror at Red Hook is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft. Written on August 1–2, 1925, it was first published in the January 1927 issue of Weird Tales (Vol. 9, No. 1, p. 73–94). It is based on the urban legend of the Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, and tells the story of a New York City detective who encounters, and becomes involved in, a series of occult-related events.

Read more about H.P. Lovecraft
The Horror at Red Hook
walls of most of the rooms, and the primitive chemical laboratory in
the attic, all helped to convince the detective that he was on the
track of something tremendous.  The paintings were appalling--hideous
monsters of every shape and size, and parodies on human outlines
which cannot be described.  The writing was in red, and varied from
Arabic to Greek, Roman, and Hebrew letters.  Malone could not read
much of it, but what he did decipher was portentous and cabalistic
enough.  One frequently repeated motto was in a sort of Hebraized
Hellenistic Greek, and suggested the most terrible demon-evocations
of the Alexandrian decadence:


HEL.  HELOYM.  SOTHER.  EMMANVEL.  SABOATH.  AGLA.  TETRAGRAMMATION.
AGYROS.  OTHEOS.  ISCHYROS.  ATHANATOS.  IEHOVA.  VA.  ADONAL.  SADY.
HOMOVSION.  MESSIAS.  ESCHEREHEYE.


Circles and pentagrams loomed on every hand, and told indubitably of
the strange beliefs and aspirations of those who dwelt so squalidly
here.  In the cellar, however, the strangest thing was found--a pile
of genuine gold ingots covered carelessly with a piece of burlap, and
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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

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"Imitate then innovate", an article by David Perell