The Story of Writing
Like Duolingo, but for The Story of Writing. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
For the part of you with thirty open tabs that never became anything.
Free during early access · No credit card · iPhone & Android
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo turns The Story of Writing into a game you actually finish. Levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that make it stick. Five minutes a day.
Where The Story of Writing takes you
Travel back in time to see how humans first turned thoughts into marks. Discover how ancient symbols evolved into the letters and screens we use every single day.
- 1
Before the First Letters
- Drawing on Cave Walls
- Counting with Clay Tokens
- Pictures that Mean Words
- The Very First Scribes
- 2
Ancient Ways of Writing
- Pressing Wedges into Clay
- Egyptian Picture Writing
- Making Paper from River Reeds
- Carving Stories into Stone
- The Secret of the Rosetta Stone
- Writing with Brushes and Ink
- 3
The Birth of the Alphabet
- From Pictures to Sounds
- The Phoenician Sea Traders
- How the Greeks Added Vowels
- 4
Books and Modern Writing
- Monks and Beautiful Manuscripts
- The Invention of the Printing Press
- How Pens and Pencils Changed
- Typewriters and Keyboards
- Writing in the Digital Age
4 sections · 18 units · 54 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
By painting on cave walls, what did our ancestors create for their community's collective knowledge?
Get it right to open this lesson and 53 more in the app.
You pick the voice
The Story of Writing is taught in the The Storyteller style: every lesson is a story. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
More Arts on Tomo
The Sistine Chapel: An Exhaustive Masterclass
Uncover the architectural, theological, and artistic complexities of the Vatican's crown jewel. This course explores the intersection of Renaissance politics, High Mannerism, and the grueling technical mastery of fresco painting.
The Spirit of the Wanderer: Beyond the Fog
Go beyond the surface of Caspar David Friedrich's masterpiece to explore the tension between humanity and the wild. Learn how this single figure redefined our relationship with nature and the unknown.
Gauguin's Tropical Vision
Explore the bold colors and complex legacy of Paul Gauguin's journey to the South Pacific. Learn how his search for a 'primitive' paradise redefined modern art and challenged traditional European perspectives.
Masterpieces and Mystery: A Guide to European Painting
Unlock the secrets hidden within the world's most famous oil paintings. Learn how to spot the difference between a moody Italian masterpiece and a quiet Dutch home scene.
Impressionism: The Radical Revolution of Light
An exhaustive exploration of the 19th-century movement that shattered academic traditions. Master the nuances of optical mixing, en plein air techniques, and the socio-political shifts that birthed modern art.
Scenes of Everyday Life: Mastering Genre Painting
Move beyond formal portraits and explore the beauty of the mundane. Learn how artists captured the hidden stories of kitchens, taverns, and street corners to change how we see the world.
Start The Story of Writing today.
Download Tomo, search The Story of Writing, and play your first lesson in under a minute.