Two teachers of English as a second language composition discuss, in dialogue form, their intuitions about writing and some of the theories of language learning and writing advanced in recent years. Among the topics addressed are the following: self-consciousness; the importance of developing self-confidence in writing; finding a balance between the "what" and the "how" of composition; learning on the right side of the brain; finding or establishing good, nonjudgmental conditions for writing practice; learning to write through free-writing; good teacher intentions that do harm to student writing; getting over the obstacle of the blank first page; finding the potential for growth in composition; sharing and discovery as objectives of writing; and the role of the subconscious. (MSE)