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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.

Mrs. Dalloway

by Virginia Woolf

Mrs. Dalloway is a novel by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1925. It is a modernist novel that follows a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, a society hostess in post-World War I England. The novel explores themes of time, memory, and the human psyche.

Read more about Virginia Woolf
Mrs. Dalloway
under the thin hollow of a leaf, who blinks at the sun when the leaf
moves; starts at the crack of a dry twig. She was exposed; she was
surrounded by the enormous trees, vast clouds of an indifferent world,
exposed; tortured; and why should she suffer? Why?

She frowned; she stamped her foot. She must go back again to Septimus
since it was almost time for them to be going to Sir William Bradshaw.
She must go back and tell him, go back to him sitting there on the
green chair under the tree, talking to himself, or to that dead man
Evans, whom she had only seen once for a moment in the shop. He had
seemed a nice quiet man; a great friend of Septimuss, and he had been
killed in the War. But such things happen to every one. Every one has
friends who were killed in the War. Every one gives up something when
they marry. She had given up her home. She had come to live here, in
this awful city. But Septimus let himself think about horrible things,
as she could too, if she tried. He had grown stranger and stranger.
He said people were talking behind the bedroom walls. Mrs. Filmer
thought it odd. He saw things too--he had seen an old womans head
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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