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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
six or seven words with each, and they went on, they went into the
rooms; into something now, not nothing, since Ralph Lyon had beat back
the curtain.

And yet for her own part, it was too much of an effort. She was not
enjoying it. It was too much like being--just anybody, standing there;
anybody could do it; yet this anybody she did a little admire, couldnt
help feeling that she had, anyhow, made this happen, that it marked a
stage, this post that she felt herself to have become, for oddly enough
she had quite forgotten what she looked like, but felt herself a stake
driven in at the top of her stairs. Every time she gave a party she
had this feeling of being something not herself, and that every one
was unreal in one way; much more real in another. It was, she thought,
partly their clothes, partly being taken out of their ordinary ways,
partly the background, it was possible to say things you couldnt say
anyhow else, things that needed an effort; possible to go much deeper.
But not for her; not yet anyhow.

“How delightful to see you!” she said. Dear old Sir Harry! He would
know every one.

And what was so odd about it was the sense one had as they came up the
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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