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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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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
want people after fifty; one doesnt want to go on telling women they
are pretty; thats what most men of fifty would say, Peter Walsh
thought, if they were honest.

But then these astonishing accesses of emotion--bursting into tears
this morning, what was all that about? What could Clarissa have thought
of him? thought him a fool presumably, not for the first time. It was
jealousy that was at the bottom of it--jealousy which survives every
other passion of mankind, Peter Walsh thought, holding his pocket-knife
at arms length. She had been meeting Major Orde, Daisy said in her
last letter; said it on purpose he knew; said it to make him jealous;
he could see her wrinkling her forehead as she wrote, wondering what
she could say to hurt him; and yet it made no difference; he was
furious! All this pother of coming to England and seeing lawyers wasnt
to marry her, but to prevent her from marrying anybody else. That was
what tortured him, that was what came over him when he saw Clarissa so
calm, so cold, so intent on her dress or whatever it was; realising
what she might have spared him, what she had reduced him to--a
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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