How do you pick the setting for your novel?

[image error] This is my most recent problem with novel #2. Also I need to find something else to call this besides #2, because my sense of humor is about on par with that of my teenage brothers. So yeah.

Anyway. I'm really not so good at setting. Is it bad how many blog posts I talk about the things I'm not good at? You guys are never going to buy my book if I keep saying stuff, you'll all be like, well she sucks at plot and can't do setting, so whats the point?

The point is I like talking about my weak areas because you guys are smart and so hopefully they will become less weak. To be determined--you can all yell at me when you read my book.

Anyway. Again. Jeez I'm rambly today. So the question is, how do you decide where to set your novel? Setting isn't typically a huge determining plot factor in my novel. As in it doesn't change the story so much. Is that bad? Should it have more of an influence? And it doesn't help that the places that are really appealing to my psyche right now are either deep cajun country or like...Alaska. Neither of which works for this story. Or maybe it does? I'll have to think.

There is my long and rambly way of putting it out to you. How do you decide where to put your story?

Sarah Allen