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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
Warren Smith lying on the sofa in the sitting-room; watching the watery
gold glow and fade with the astonishing sensibility of some live
creature on the roses, on the wall-paper. Outside the trees dragged
their leaves like nets through the depths of the air; the sound of
water was in the room and through the waves came the voices of birds
singing. Every power poured its treasures on his head, and his hand lay
there on the back of the sofa, as he had seen his hand lie when he was
bathing, floating, on the top of the waves, while far away on shore he
heard dogs barking and barking far away. Fear no more, says the heart
in the body; fear no more.

He was not afraid. At every moment Nature signified by some laughing
hint like that gold spot which went round the wall--there, there,
there--her determination to show, by brandishing her plumes, shaking
her tresses, flinging her mantle this way and that, beautifully, always
beautifully, and standing close up to breathe through her hollowed
hands Shakespeares words, her meaning.

Rezia, sitting at the table twisting a hat in her hands, watched him;
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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