In this session, prominent authors from Europe and China will discuss their motivations and reasons for writing. The authors will bring their different perspectives to bear on the most crucial questions for any author: Why and when did they decide to embark on a life in literature? What do they see as the goal and purpose of their writing? And what key issues do they face as they develop as writers? Joining the discussion will be Helena von Zweigbergk, who was an established journalist and broadcaster before she started to write best-selling novels; Wojciech Jagielski, who has written books from several conflict zones around the world; and from China, poet and critic Shi Bin; and Zheng Xiaolu, a literary journal editor and award-winning author. In conversation with Liu Weiming, author and director of the Literature and Periodical Department of the Southern Metropolis Daily.