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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
passionately in love with Clarissa. There were a great many people
there, laughing and talking, sitting round a table after tea and the
room was bathed in yellow light and full of cigarette smoke. They
were talking about a man who had married his housemaid, one of the
neighbouring squires, he had forgotten his name. He had married his
housemaid, and she had been brought to Bourton to call--an awful visit
it had been. She was absurdly over-dressed, “like a cockatoo,” Clarissa
had said, imitating her, and she never stopped talking. On and on she
went, on and on. Clarissa imitated her. Then somebody said--Sally
Seton it was--did it make any real difference to ones feelings to
know that before theyd married she had had a baby? (In those days,
in mixed company, it was a bold thing to say.) He could see Clarissa
now, turning bright pink; somehow contracting; and saying, “Oh, I shall
never be able to speak to her again!” Whereupon the whole party sitting
round the tea-table seemed to wobble. It was very uncomfortable.

He hadnt blamed her for minding the fact, since in those days a
girl brought up as she was, knew nothing, but it was her manner that
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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