Paynudeh Allen
Paynudeh Allen is a first-generation Liberian-American comedy writer from the exciting and very well-known Maryland suburb of Germantown. As a quiet kid with a big imagination, she was always drawn to storytelling, so much so that she would force her younger brother to listen to her read to him. She was an annoying and yet productive bully of a big sister, which is, in her opinion, the best kind.
Thanks to a healthy young person diet of SpongeBob, YA novels, Degrassi, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent fanfiction (don’t ask), her imagination and love of stories eventually developed into an undeniable desire to write for television.
Alas, “I’m gonna be a TV writer!!” seemed like a crazy thing to say, so she went to UNC Chapel Hill, where she majored in Communications and circled the idea of pursuing writing like an incredibly indecisive shark. But the heart wants what the heart wants — mixed metaphors, sorry — so she eventually admitted the truth to herself and applied to her school’s Hollywood Internship Program which took her to Hollywood, baby!
In Hollywood, baby! Pay has been very lucky to work in various roles within entertainment, observe being a TV writer from those various angles, and take pictures with famous monkey actors. Okay, just one famous monkey actor.
Spotlighting the different ways black women and girls can show up in the world has become somewhat of a mission for Paynudeh. So, in her writing she enjoys exploring both the delightfully mundane and truly weird lives of black ladies: from haunting their former bullies, to poorly navigating the apocalypse, to being uncool teen girls. If you ask nicely, she’ll consider writing about men as well.
Maybe.
Founded in the year 2000, the Nickelodeon Writing Program is a full-time, paid, yearlong development Program for television comedy writers with unique voices and fresh perspectives. Join us at the studio in Burbank for classes and workshops to sharpen your skills, executive mentorship and networking to build your professional relationships, and the opportunity to work in the iconic live-action and animation writers’ rooms at Nick. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dedicate yourself to the craft of writing and build your career from the ground up.
The Nick Writing Program is not a writing contest – It’s a launching pad for emerging creatives. If you bring the unique voice and innovative ideas for kids’ and family content, we’ll help you launch a career with all the tools you’ll need to succeed in the industry for years to come.
We need your talent and perspective, so come tell us your story!
Submissions are closed.
Please note: all submission and notification dates are subject to change.
We can’t create the most awesome kids’ content in the world without the most awesome artists in the world.
The Nickelodeon Artist Program is a 6-month, full-time paid talent development program for aspiring pre-production artists. We seek out talented designers, painters, story artists, and CG generalists with unique voices, with the goal of mentoring, developing, and staffing the next generation of inclusive storytellers and content creators.
The Nick Artist Program is designed to kick-start the journey of career-ready artists! If you’re ready for the SLIME of your life, come join us at the Nick Animation Studio.
Please note: All dates are subject to change.
2025 Summer NICKtern Applications are Closed!
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