"A master wordsmith of the first order."
– The Midwest Book Review
About Scott Lax
Born in the City of Cleveland and called "A master wordsmith of the first order" by The Midwest Book Review, Scott Lax is a novelist, short story writer, journalist, producer, screenwriter, and playwright. Since January 2016, Lax has taught Creative Writing, specializing in Screenwriting, at Cleveland Institute of Art.
Lax is a recipient of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference Bernard J. O'Keefe Scholarship in Nonfiction; the Sewanee Writers Conference Walter E. Dakin Fellowship in Fiction; six journalism awards for columns, features, and essays; and four first-place film festival producer's awards.
The Denver Post wrote of his first novel, The Year That Trembled (1998, Paul S. Eriksson, Publisher, 1st edition; 2013, Gray & Co., Publishers, 2nd edition), "Powerful…Lax captures the mood of the era and tells a strong tale of love, brotherly and otherwise," and named it one of the year's "milestones in fiction."
Lax produced the feature film version of his novel, also titled The Year That Trembled (2002, Novel City Pictures), which was written and directed by Jay Craven. The Boston Herald called the movie "Memorable and touching," and Scott was named Midwest Filmmaker of the Year at the Cleveland International Film Festival. His two-act play adaptation of the novel was produced at University School in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2003 and 2013, directed by Carol Jaffee Pribble. Lax rewrote and retitled the play 1970, which was produced at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre for two weeks in 2023, directed by Brian Westerley.
Pulitzer Prize-winning critic and bestselling author of Mark Twain: a Life, Ron Powers, wrote of Scott's second novel, Vengeance Follows (2013, Gray & Co., Publishers), "Mesmerizing and masterful . . . aching suspense . . . gets inside the head of a lethal sociopath while maintaining a loving evocation of a quiet Ohio town with a Richard Russo–like respect for the human soul." Lax has adapted Vengeance Follows as feature film screenplay.
Between 1992 and 2010, Lax was a monthly magazine columnist and features writer for Cleveland Magazine and other print and online journals. His writing clients have included Comedy Central, ESPN, and MLB's Cleveland Guardians.
A professional drummer, Scott has performed with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bo Diddley, among many other musicians. He lives in the Chagrin Valley with his wife and son.
– October 2024
Scott with longtime friends and sometimes creative partners the late Fred Willard, who passed in 2020, and Martin Mull, who died June 27, 2024.
(photo by Mary Willard, Dec. 2011)
Scott's bio is below the photos.
September 2023. Scott with the cast, director & producer of 1970, his play based on his novel, The Year That Trembled, at Chagrin Valley Little Theatre.
February 2012. Scott Lax with comedy legends, pals & co-creators, co-writers & co-executive producers Martin Mull & Fred Willard on the set of the TV pilot, Cleveland Late-Late.
June 2001. Martin Mull, Scott Lax & Fred Willard, goofing on the set of the feature film, The Year That Trembled.
(Photo by Mary Willard)
Scott and friend of 32 years, Ron Powers, in 1993, at a cocktail reception at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, where Scott was on a nonfiction scholarship. Ron Powers is one of America's great nonfiction authors, as well as a Pulitzer Prize-winning critic.
June 1981. Scott drumming at Mad Dog Recording Studio, Venice, CA.
Awards & Recognition
FICTION
February 14, 2010 - Scott Lax's short story, "Sales Call," won 2nd Place for MUSE Magazine's 2010 Literary Competition.
1999 - The Year That Trembled, a Novel named Vermont Book of the Year, Runner-Up.
Dec. 1998 - The Year That Trembled, a Novel, named of of 1998’s “Milestones in Fiction by Denver Post.
1998 - Sewanee Writers’ Conference (Univ. of the South), Walter E. Dakin Fellowship in Fiction
NON-FICTION
March, 2011 - In the Ohio Professional Writers 2011 Communications Contest, Scott Lax won First Place for Writing for the Web, Columns or Commentary
May 22, 2010 - In the Ohio Professional Writers 2010 Communications Contest, Scott Lax won Second Place for "Original Columns, General."
May 16, 2009 - In the Ohio Professional Writers 2009 Communication Contest, Scott Lax was awarded:
1. First Place for "Original Columns, General"
2. First Place for "Feature Story, Magazine"
3. Second Place for "Special Series, Print Media."
June 2008: Ohio Excellence in Journalism Award, statewide competition, sponsored by The Cleveland Press Club, Honorable Mention, Best Single Essay, Open Print
1993 - Bread Loaf Writer’ Conference (Middlebury College)
Bernard J. O’Keefe Scholarship in Nonfiction
1994, 1995 - Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference, Staff Scholarship
FILM
2002 - Midwest Filmmaker of the Year, Cleveland International Film Festival
2002 - Producer’s Award, Winner, People’s Choice, Cincinnati International Film Festival
2002 - Producer’s Award, Winner, Best Regional Feature, Cincinnati International Film Festival
2002 - Bessie’s People’s Choice Award, Burlington, VT City Arts, Favorite Film
TEACHING
2010 - The Hub City Writers' Workshop of South Carolina awards the second annual Scott Lax Prize in Writing to Bertrice Robinson. The Scott Lax Prize is a full-ride, one-week scholarship to the Wild Acres Writers Workshop in North Carolina. This award was established in 2008 by Hillcrest Publications of Spartanburg, S.C., "in recognition of novelist Scott Lax of Ohio."
GENERAL
Oct. 6, 2016 - Inducted into the Chagrin Falls High School Achievement Hall of Fame
2002 - City of Cleveland Certificate of Congratulations for body of work.