James Bell

James Scott Bell is an American author best known for suspense novels and for writing guides that many novelists use to sharpen their craft. Before writing full time, he worked as a trial lawyer, and he studied writing at the University of California, Santa Barbara, later graduating from the University of Southern California Law Center with honors.

Alongside his fiction, he became widely known through books such as Plot & Structure, as well as other craft titles for Writer’s Digest Books. He also served as a fiction columnist for Writer’s Digest, which helped make him a familiar voice to aspiring and working writers alike.

His fiction includes legal thrillers, the Mike Romeo series, and historical novels, and his work has earned recognition including a Christy Award. Across both his novels and his teaching, he is known for clear, energetic storytelling and a practical approach to what makes stories work.