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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
If she could grasp her, if she could clasp her, if she could make her
hers absolutely and forever and then die; that was all she wanted.
But to sit here, unable to think of anything to say; to see Elizabeth
turning against her; to be felt repulsive even by her--it was too much;
she could not stand it. The thick fingers curled inwards.

“I never go to parties,” said Miss Kilman, just to keep Elizabeth from
going. “People dont ask me to parties”--and she knew as she said it
that it was this egotism that was her undoing; Mr. Whittaker had warned
her; but she could not help it. She had suffered so horribly. “Why
should they ask me?” she said. “Im plain, Im unhappy.” She knew it
was idiotic. But it was all those people passing--people with parcels
who despised her, who made her say it. However, she was Doris Kilman.
She had her degree. She was a woman who had made her way in the world.
Her knowledge of modern history was more than respectable.

“I dont pity myself,” she said. “I pity”--she meant to sayyour
motherbut no, she could not, not to Elizabeth. “I pity other people,”
she said, “more.”

Like some dumb creature who has been brought up to a gate for an
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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