Jon Christopher Conkling is an American writer with a diverse body of work spanning screenwriting, academic publishing, and literary criticism. He is best known for co-writing the screenplay for the animated version of Lord of the Rings, directed by Ralph Bakshi and produced by Saul Zaentz. Beyond screenwriting, Conkling has contributed to scholarly publications including BYU Studies, the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, and the Ensign. In 1979, he published A Joseph Smith Chronology. He has also written literary criticism, including an award-winning article on Herman Melville's short story "Bartleby, the Scrivener."