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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.

In Our Time is a collection of short stories by Ernest Hemingway, published in 1925. The stories are about the experiences of a young American in Europe and Africa, marking Hemingway’s notable style of understated prose and the "iceberg theory."

Read more about Ernest Hemingway
In Our Time
anæsthetic holding tight on to himself so that he would not blab
about anything during the silly, talky time. After he got on crutches
he used to take the temperature so Ag would not have to get up from
the bed. There were only a few patients, and they all knew about it.
They all liked Ag. As he walked back along the halls he thought of Ag
in his bed.

Before he went back to the front they went into the Duomo and prayed.
It was dim and quiet, and there were other people praying. They
wanted to get married, but there was not enough time for the banns,
and neither of them had birth certificates. They felt as though they
were married, but they wanted everyone to knew about it, and to make
it so they could not lose it.

Ag wrote him many letters that he never got until after the
armistice. Fifteen came in a bunch and he sorted them by the dates
and read them all straight through. They were about the hospital, and
how much she loved him and how it was impossible to get along without
him and how terrible it was missing him at night.

After the armistice they agreed he should go home to get a job so
they might be married. Ag would not come home until he had a good job
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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