Quarterfinalist, 2025 JumpStart Writing Competition
BIO
NICHOLAS R. ZINGARELLI has been telling stories and drawing cartoons since grammar school in Chicago, where he grew up. A self-described former delinquent, Nicholas had several run-ins with the police in his youth before turning his life around. He went on to work in the building trades, eventually helping construct over two hundred playgrounds for inner-city children across Chicago—a legacy of care and service he’s deeply proud of.
Nicholas began writing screenplays two decades ago while recovering from three severe work-related injuries that required multiple surgeries and left him physically challenged. Storytelling became a lifeline—a way to process pain, reflect on life’s complexity, and connect with others. Whether typing on a laptop, scribbling on scraps of paper, or even jotting notes on his hand, Nicholas is always chasing the right words, which often come to him at the most unexpected moments.
His work is deeply empathetic, shaped by a life of hard-earned lessons and a belief that, given the same circumstances, we’re not so different from one another. Through his writing, he aims to make audiences laugh, cry, and most importantly, feel seen. His mission is to tell stories that break down barriers and change perceptions—because when given the opportunity to grow, we all have the power to surprise even our harshest critics. If his stories can do that, he considers it a success.