In this opening 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 challenges do they face as they develop as writers? The Sichuan Library welcomes Austrian novelist Richard Obermayr; Croatian author, researcher, and cultural theorist Jasna Horvat; Greek novelist and translator Dimitris Stefanikis; and distinguished Sichuan authors Jiang Lin and Yuan Yuan to the discussion.