For immediate release
ACFW Announces 2023 Lifetime Achievement Recipient James Scott Bell
Palm Bay, FL: The American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) is pleased to announce the recipient of their 2023 Lifetime Achievement honors—prolific author, fiction instructor, mentor, and industry observer James Scott Bell.
When asked to list their go-to books on the craft of writing, many authors point to the works of novelist James Scott Bell, noting now-considered-classics Plot and Structure, Write Your Novel from the Middle, Super-Structure, Writing Unforgettable Characters, The Art of War for Writers, and How to Write Best-selling Fiction (through his role as a “The Great Courses” professor). ACFW CEO Colleen Coble says, “When budding novelists ask, ‘Where do I start?’ our response is often, ‘With ACFW…and James Scott Bell.’”
In addition to other major accomplishments, Bell is a winner of the International Thriller Writers Award and the author of the #1 best-selling book on writing, Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish. Bell received his BA in Film Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara and his JD (Juris Doctor degree required to practice law, the highest level of degree you can achieve in a given discipline) with honors from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.
A former trial lawyer, Mr. Bell now writes and speaks full time. His novels include the Mike Romeo thriller series (Romeo’s Rules, Romeo’s Way, Romeo’s Hammer, and Romeo’s Fight), the Ty Buchanan legal thriller series (Try Dying, Try Darkness, and Try Fear), and the novels Your Son Is Alive, Don’t Leave Me, Blind Justice, and Final Witness. Mr. Bell served as a fiction columnist for Writer’s Digest and has taught novel writing at Pepperdine University as well as in writing seminars across the United States and many parts of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Many ACFW members are familiar with James Scott Bell as a compelling instructor and mentor with a wealth of cinematic knowledge he often applies to helping novelists understand storytelling principles. They also point to his humor and warmth whether addressing an individual writer or a banquet-room full of captivated listeners. His years of pouring into the lives and careers of writers, including Christian fiction writers, and his support of both beginning and veteran novelists have moved ACFW to name James Scott Bell as its 2023 Lifetime Achievement Recipient.
Bell will be recognized at the Awards Gala concluding the 2023 ACFW annual conference held at the Hyatt Regency at the Arch, St. Louis, MO, on Saturday, August 26. Tickets for this Gala event, or for the conference as a whole, are available at acfw.com/conference/.
ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) is a professional organization devoted to the craft of Christian Fiction. Its mission is to “help you tell your stories by inspiring you to partner with God in the creative process, learn the craft, and find your audience.”
For more information about ACFW: https://www.acfw.com/ You can find a link to this press release at https://www.acfw.com/about/press_room/