If you’re an emerging screenwriter, you’ve likely heard it’s a good idea to build a brand or grow your online presence. But putting yourself “out there” can be intimidating, especially if you don’t want to look like a cringey self-promoter or some kind of screenwriting hack.
The good news is that screenwriter Nic Curcio has figured out a path that feels authentic and engaging and has shared his advice with us. Nic, who wrote on the upcoming animated feature Goat (in theaters February 2026), has steadily grown a loyal following on TikTok by posting screenwriting-related videos that are both educational and entertaining. What started as a side hobby during the pandemic has helped him land meetings, earn extra cheddar, and connect with a larger writing community.
Before working on Goat and finding a social media following, Nic studied English at UCLA and later earned his MFA in Film/TV Production from USC. His studies at USC gave him hands-on experience in various aspects of filmmaking, but writing is where he found his strongest voice.
In 2019, his feature script Barron: A Tale of Love, Loss and Legacy, was featured on the annual Black List, a ranking of Hollywood’s best unproduced scripts (yes, it’s a fictional story about a young Barron Trump!). From there, he landed a job as an in-house writer at Sony Animation, where he spent over a year rewriting and shaping Goat while working closely with the animation team. He has since written projects for Paramount and Universal, including a feature adaptation of the comic Planet of the Nerds and a new take on The Magic School Bus. In addition to all of this, he also finds time to co-host the podcast Hollywood Hang with fellow screenwriter Kristen Tepper.
Here are five takeaways from our conversation on how you can use social media to promote your writing career.
1. Start by Being Helpful, Not Self-Promoting
Nic didn’t begin his TikTok journey trying to become a “screenwriting influencer.” He just wanted to clear up public misconceptions about the 2023 Writers Guild strike.
“There were a lot of viral videos going around, but they weren’t necessarily being made by people in the Guild, so I said, well, I’m in the WGA, so let me see if I can be informative here and just tell people how it actually is for most writers, because most of us are working other jobs and trying to get by,” he says.
Surprisingly to him, a lot of people started making comments and following his posts. He had tapped into something people were interested in.
“That’s when I realized people actually care about screenwriting content. At first, I thought it was too boring. But when I did a breakdown of the first page of Challengers [screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes], it went viral. Even people who weren’t writers said they found it interesting,” he says.
The takeaway here is to start by adding content that people will hopefully find educational, useful or inspirational and go from there.
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Social media algorithms favor people who post often and consistently. Nic challenged himself to post one video a day, talking about things like movies he loves, screenwriting trends, or sharing short script breakdowns.
The videos should be short and don’t need to be anything fancy. “Sometimes I’ll be in the car and just hit record. I try to keep each video to about 90 seconds but if I’m answering somebody’s screenwriting question, it could be up to five minutes.”
This might sound like a lot of work, especially editing all the videos, but Nic says the process is pretty simple. He records videos on his phone and then edits them directly in the TikTok app. He also posts the best ones on Instagram. “The goal is to spend as little time as possible on it,” he says, adding that he spends about an hour a day.
If he finds that one week he has extra free time, he’ll make a batch of videos, upload them to TikTok and schedule them to run in the future.
The takeaway here is to be consistent and remember that the more you do it, the easier and faster it will be.
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Nic is the first to admit he’s still early in his career, but that’s part of what makes his content relatable. “A lot of people say they like hearing from someone who’s in the middle of breaking in, not someone who’s been doing it for 30 years,” he says.
If you’re nervous about putting yourself out there, Nic gets it. “Writers aren’t usually the type to talk to a camera. But once you get over that initial fear, it gets easier.”
Of course, not everyone is supportive. “There are some seasoned screenwriters who seem annoyed that I’m giving advice,” he says. And then some comments just need to be viewed with a sense of humor.
“Someone else said, ‘You look like John Lennon,’ or ‘Why is John Lennon giving screenwriting advice?’ or ‘Why do you have a Beatles haircut?’” Nic says with a laugh, adding, “That’s about the meanest I get, but that’s just the internet. Most people appreciate the honesty and realism.”
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While Nic’s early content was focused on industry trends and movie breakdowns, Curcio now incorporates more of his own journey, including reactions to the trailer for Goat, and even posting the first page of his original scripts.
“In the beginning, I didn’t really have the confidence to actually plug myself, but now I do. At first I was just like, ‘Here’s a page that I love from a script that sold five years ago.’ Recently, I plugged the Goat movie. I did a reaction when the trailer first came out, because I hadn’t seen it yet.”
Now, Nic can see that posting stuff from his own career is part of what makes his channel more personal and engaging.
5. It Can Lead to Paid Work, but it’s Not Guaranteed
Nic has monetized his content in several ways, from creator fund payouts from TikTok to promotional deals with studios. But he’s clear that money is just a bonus. “I don’t think it’s ever going to replace screenwriting as a job, but as a side hustle, it’s way more relevant to my career than something totally unrelated.”
He says the real benefit is upping his visibility. “I’ve gotten general meetings with producers who’ve seen my videos. I get invited to screenings and events I wouldn’t have access to otherwise. It all feeds back into the larger career."
The Bottom Line: Just Get Started
If you’re still feeling stuck, Nic suggests starting with what excites you. “You can talk about the competitions you’re submitting to, share a cool trick you used in a script, or respond to a screenwriting myth you saw online. Educational content performs really well, especially if it’s positive and encouraging.”
You can see Nic’s content on TikTok: @NicolasCurcioWriter; Instagram: @NicolasCurcio; or listen to the podcast he co-hosts with fellow screenwriter Kristen Tepper called The Hollywood Hang wherever you get your podcasts.