Location, Location, Location

I’ve been working on a story for almost five years now and the majority of the plot will take place in the Washington, D.C. area. 

When I started writing the story, I’d never been to the U.S. Capitol, so it was a little strange to me that I was receiving the pull to that location. I’m not even into politics, which is even more strange.

Like a lot of writers, I did some research online for what the area looked like. I studied famous buildings, what the culture was like, how the streets and neighborhoods were divided, and everything else I could get my hands on. But Google searches can only take you so far. I needed to get boots on the ground.

In April 2019, I flew from Salt Lake City, Utah to Arlington, Virginia. Fortunately, I have family who lives in the area and they graciously allowed me to crash in their basement for a week. They were generous hosts - being my shuttle to the nearest metro station, being my tour guide, and providing a lot of entertainment.

One of the first places I visited was the Washington National Cathedral. This is a place that I know will play an important role in my series, especially in my first book, so this stop was a must see. Prior to my visit, I’d scheduled a behind-the-scenes tour and was looking forward to all the interesting things I would get to experience there. 

What I didn’t know was that behind-the-scenes tour had a literal meaning. We were going into the attics, viewing the buttresses from below and above, and even taken out onto the roof! It was an incredible experience and I would definitely recommend anyone who visits take this tour. However, I would also make sure you book a regular tour too (that’s on my list for my next trip).

Because I had another tour I needed to get to shortly after this one, I was only able to spend a little bit of extra time taking everything in and thinking about my story or characters. Luckily, I was able to take a lot of photos and video that I use as a reference now. Here are a few of my favorite shots:







If you are able to get to the physical location of your story, go! If not, find places that may be similar or can inspire you and have a visit. There’s a lot you can gain in regards to perspective if you are able to physically or even virtually visualize your locations.

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