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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 Bells and Other Poems

by Edgar Allan Poe

The Bells and Other Poems is a collection by Edgar Allan Poe, which includes the titular poem "The Bells." This collection showcases Poe’s mastery over the macabre, the mysterious, and the melodious aspects of poetry. The poems oscillate between the eerie tranquility of the beautiful and the unsettling whispers of the supernatural.

Read more about Edgar Allan Poe
The Bells and Other Poems
(Though once we had journeyed down here),
Remembered not the dank tarn of Auber,
     Nor the ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir.
And now, as the night was senescent,
     And star-dials pointed to morn--
     As the star-dials hinted of morn--
At the end of our path a liquescent
     And nebulous lustre was born,
Out of which a miraculous crescent
     Arose with a duplicate horn--
Astarte's bediamonded crescent
     Distinct with its duplicate horn.

And I said--"She is warmer than Dian:
     She rolls through an ether of sighs--
     She revels in a region of sighs:
She has seen that the tears are not dry on
     These cheeks, where the worm never dies,
And has come past the stars of the Lion,
     To point us the path to the skies--
     To the Lethean peace of the skies--
Come up, in despite of the Lion,
     To shine on us with her bright eyes--
Come up through the lair of the Lion,
     With love in her luminous eyes."

But Psyche, uplifting her finger,
     Said--"Sadly this star I mistrust--
     Her pallor I strangely mistrust:--
Oh, hasten!--oh, let us not linger!
     Oh, fly!--let us fly!--for we must."
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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