Here's a breakdown:
Yes, some people definitely did write:
* Intellectuals and scholars: The Renaissance was a time of flourishing intellectual activity. Many scholars, writers, artists, and thinkers produced vast amounts of written work, including books, essays, plays, poetry, and scientific treatises. Thinkers like Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolò Machiavelli, and William Shakespeare all left behind significant written legacies.
* Clergy: Monks and priests continued to be important writers, contributing to religious texts and theological discourse.
* Wealthy merchants and nobles: Literacy was more common among the wealthy classes, who often commissioned or created their own written works.
However, not everyone wrote:
* The majority of people were illiterate. Literacy was a privilege mostly enjoyed by the educated elite.
* Women's writing was often limited. While some women did write and had their work published, societal expectations and limitations often hindered their literary output.
* Some craftspeople and laborers may have written, but evidence is limited. While we know people from all walks of life were involved in the social and economic life of the Renaissance, written records of their daily lives are scarce.
In summary:
While the Renaissance saw a surge in written production, it's important to remember that not everyone in that era was literate or had the opportunity to write. The people who did write contributed to the cultural and intellectual flowering of the period, but their voices were not representative of the entire population.