--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By Cunning & Craft is a masterpiece of…" description: "\"By Cunning & Craft is a masterpiece of writing about writing. If, like Scheherazade, you had to spin out a story under threat of death, this is the how..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/nora-gallagher-56631_advice_by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-wri_1677137.jpg" --- # By Cunning & Craft is a masterpiece of writing about… ![“By Cunning & Craft is a masterpiece of writing about writing. If, like Scheherazade, you had to spin out a story under threat of death, this is the how-to book to read. It's filled with thoughtful, nuanced advice from a teacher/writer who actually writes, and writes beautifully and with great…” quote by Nora Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/nora-gallagher-56631_advice_by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-wri_1677137.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/nora-gallagher-56631_advice_by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-wri_1677137.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/nora-gallagher-56631_advice_by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-wri_1677137.jpg) > “By Cunning & Craft is a masterpiece of writing about writing. If, like Scheherazade, you had to spin out a story under threat of death, this is the how-to book to read. It's filled with thoughtful, nuanced advice from a teacher/writer who actually writes, and writes beautifully and with great humor. The list of rejected stories is worth the price of the whole book.” [Nora Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-gallagher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The book teaches how to craft compelling narratives under pressure, using humor and nuanced advice from an experienced writer. **In simple terms:** Learn to write engaging stories even in tough situations. Key Takeaway Apply practical storytelling techniques. Themes writing creativity humor resilience Mood inspired determined Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - author deadlines - creative blocks - teaching writing Key Concepts narrative strategy story structure voice development Questions to Reflect On - How can you use pressure to boost creativity? - What humor techniques can you adopt? A Different Perspective Advice may assume readers have advanced skills; beginners might feel overwhelmed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Masterpiece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masterpiece/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Thoughtful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughtful/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Olive Kitteridge' is a masterpiece: The writing is so perfect you don't even notice it; the story is so vivid it's less like reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-bank/olive-kitteridge-is-a-masterpiece-the-writing-is-so-perfect-you-don-t/) [Melissa Bank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-bank/) > [Nature's chief masterpiece is writing well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sheffield-1st-duke-of-buckingham-and-normanby/nature-s-chief-masterpiece-is-writing-well/) John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby > [Of all the arts in which the wise excel, nature's chief masterpiece is writing well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-breton/of-all-the-arts-in-which-the-wise-excel-nature-s-chief-masterpiece-is/) [Andre Breton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andr-breton/) > [“Wherein cunning, but in craft? Wherein crafty, but in villainy? Wherein villainous, but in all things? Wherein worthy, but in nothing?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/wherein-cunning-but-in-craft-wherein-crafty-but-in-villainy-wherein/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [In You Are Not Dead Wendy Xu breaks all the old rules that have never done us any favors anyway. She writes beautifully, noticing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-tate/in-you-are-not-dead-wendy-xu-breaks-all-the-old-rules-that-have-never/) [James Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-tate/) > [I am nothing; I am but an instrument, a tiny pencil in the hands of the Lord with which He writes what he likes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-am-nothing-i-am-but-an-instrument-a-tiny-pencil-in-the-hands-of-the/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Treason and murder ever kept together, As two yoke-devils sworn to either's purpose, Working so grossly in a natural cause That admiration did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/treason-and-murder-ever-kept-together-as-two-yoke-devils-sworn-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Art is the final cunning of the human soul which would rather do anything than face the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/art-is-the-final-cunning-of-the-human-soul-which-would-rather-do/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [Why do some die and some live? The answer was clearly, that on the whole the best fitted live. From the effects of disease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-russel-wallace/why-do-some-die-and-some-live-the-answer-was-clearly-that-on-the/) [Alfred Russel Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-russel-wallace/) > [That humanity and sincerity which dispose men to resist injustice and tyranny render them unfit to cope with the cunning and power of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-humanity-and-sincerity-which-dispose-men-to-resist-injustice-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The terrible immoralities are the cunning ones hiding behind masks of morality, such as exploiting people while pretending to help them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-terrible-immoralities-are-the-cunning-ones-hiding-behind-masks-of/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [It is a pity that, commonly, more care is had--yea, and that among very wise men--to find out rather a cunning man for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ascham/it-is-a-pity-that-commonly-more-care-is-had-yea-and-that-among-very/) [Roger Ascham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ascham/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Charm is a cunning self-forgetfulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/charm-is-a-cunning-self-forgetfulness/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) ## More by Nora Gallagher > [Books were to my family's house like beds and stoves, the most basic items, necessary for survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-gallagher/books-were-to-my-family-s-house-like-beds-and-stoves-the-most-basic/) [Nora Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-gallagher/) > [“Part of my life no longer made sense. A life of meetings stretched between appointments, half listening to people, always running late. A life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-gallagher/part-of-my-life-no-longer-made-sense-a-life-of-meetings-stretched/) [Nora Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-gallagher/) > [On staring out at a gloomy day: First you must realize that it is the day that is gloomy, not you. If you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-gallagher/on-staring-out-at-a-gloomy-day-first-you-must-realize-that-it-is-the/) [Nora Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-gallagher/) > [“Doubt is to me the handmaiden to faith, its cop, the one that keeps faith straight. To doubt is an indication of freedom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-gallagher/doubt-is-to-me-the-handmaiden-to-faith-its-cop-the-one-that-keeps/) [Nora Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-gallagher/) > [“What I want from the church, or any faith community, I see now, is a look between human beings that says we are knitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-gallagher/what-i-want-from-the-church-or-any-faith-community-i-see-now-is-a/) [Nora Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-gallagher/) [Explore all 6 Nora Gallagher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-gallagher/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "By Cunning & Craft is a masterpiece of writing about writing. If, like Scheherazade, you had to spin out a story under threat of death, this is the how-to book to read. It's filled with thoughtful, nuanced advice from a teacher/writer who actually writes, and writes beautifully and with great humor. The list of rejected stories is worth the price of the whole book.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nora Gallagher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-gallagher/by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-writing-about-writing-if-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-gallagher/by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-writing-about-writing-if-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/nora-gallagher-56631_advice_by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-wri_1677137.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/nora-gallagher-56631_advice_by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-wri_1677137.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/nora-gallagher-56631_advice_by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-wri_1677137.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“By Cunning & Craft is a masterpiece of writing about writing. If, like Scheherazade, you had to spin out a…” — Nora Gallagher", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nora Gallagher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-gallagher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "By Cunning & Craft is a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-gallagher/by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-writing-about-writing-if-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-gallagher/by-cunning-craft-is-a-masterpiece-of-writing-about-writing-if-like/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```