Conversation so far:
When did Ray Bradbury start writing?
Bradbury began writing his own stories at age 11 (1931).
Are any of those stories still around?
CANNOTANSWER.
Why did Bradbury get into writing?
Throughout his youth, Bradbury was an avid reader and writer and knew at a young age that he was "going into one of the arts..

Question: Did anyone influence him?
Self-contained rewrite: Did anyone influence Ray Bradbury?