His most influential writers include William Faulkner, Cormac McCarthy, Denis Johnson, Robert Stone, and Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Attended Louisiana State University and University of Arkansas Graduate School.
Was a bartender in Austin, TX, for four years.
He gave up writing for a few years in his twenties when his mentor passed away, working as a bartender and Technical writer.
His parents are attorney Nick Pizzolatto Jr. (Jennings, LA) and Sheila Sierra Pizzolatto (Sulphur, LA).
Was the 2005-06 Kenan Visiting Writer recipient at the University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill. The nationally-competitive award is funded by the Spray Foundation of Atlanta and the College of Arts and Sciences at UNC.
His father is of half-Italian and half-Polish descent. His mother's ancestry includes Spanish, as well as Italian, German, French, and English.
Moved with his family to Los Angeles in 2010.
Nic moved with his family to Austin, Texas in 2020.