Writers are always talking to each other over coffee or lunch about what they do, how they do it, what concerns them, and how they manage their working lives. The eight essays in this short book cover some of the topics discussed, such as what gets us started, how we balance professional and practical matters, the value of creative writing courses, and other aspects of the writing process. The ideas have been developed during many years of writing, and teaching creative writing to adult students. This last has been a most rewarding experience because it has been a two-way street. I have learned at least as much from my students as I hope they have learned from me. These essays have been previously published elsewhere as separate pieces, and I have collected them together now as an adjunct to the how-to manual called "Writing, a practical guide" which is also available as an ebook.