When you are considering a new story, what drives you to pick a particular city or part of the world as your backdrop or setting?

Sally Bend It depends on the story. If it's a more traditional/realistic story, then I tend to stick to what I know, writing about mid-sized cities that feel comfortable, but which are still large enough to allow for some anonymity. I usually don't call the city by name, but I will use landmarks and street names that put a pin it it (at least for me).

If it's something more imaginative, then I like to stretch my horizons and incorporate places that fascinate me, and that I would love to visit. Free from vacation time policies or travel budgets, I can go anywhere (albeit vicariously).

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