As teachers, the time they get to talk with peers, their friends, is an important time because there is never enough of it. Why not allow students the opportunity to chat with friends--the same courtesy the author appreciated in meetings with peers? Through talk, students can improve their conversational skills, which in turn would help their peer-conferencing skills. If student writing conferences are conversations between people with mutual respect, writing can grow. Giving students opportunities to talk about their writing ideas would enable them to internalize their thoughts and ideas. Teaching students how to talk about their writing and responses to other students' writing may be key in improving their writing skills. The author suggests several activities that can help. (Contains 3 figures.)