I have previously discussed the importance of sensory details. It gives a three-dimensional effect that transports the reader into the event or situation he is reading. The description of a setting is one that is most challenging for most writers. It can prove taxing, even burdensome. The writer is either inspired to write too much or not bother with it at all, leaving character action to convey the scene. The description of the setting must be approached with caution. Like all the essential components of fiction, it must blend with the activity. If the writer is too technical with his setting description, it will read like a brochure for a tourist destination when it becomes detached from characters and events. It must blend--show the setting, set the pace, and reveal character.

Example of a poor setting description: Seth was bored inside his cell. He paced back and forth. Not far from the other row of cells, he could hear an inmate whistling a tune. He stared at a worn-out poster of a naked Marilyn Monroe on his wall. The toilet bowl close to his bunk needs cleaning. 

We can tell where Seth is, as the description sets him in a particular place--a prison cell. But the writer focuses on describing the cell so that the setting becomes detached from Seth. Whatever the description is trying to convey concerning the prisoner is lost in the process. What do the whistling tune, the poster, and the dirty toilet have to do with Seth? What was he thinking? What was the relationship of these objects to his boredom? If the writer blends setting with character action and introspection, the description becomes an essential part of the drama.

Example of a good setting description: Seth was bored inside his cell. He paced back and forth like a caged jungle cat. Not far from the other row of cells, he could hear an inmate whistling a tune, and it gave Seth a headache. He stared at a worn-out poster of a naked Marilyn Monroe on his wall, and slowly, he felt an erection rising. I could use a good woman like you right now, he thought. Carla never bothered to visit him since his incarceration. The toilet bowl close to his bunk needed cleaning. Perhaps he could find a way to use the toilet to stash a pickaxe.

The writer never took his focus from Seth while incorporating the details of setting with character action and introspection. Now Seth and his cell make a compelling scene. The reader gets an idea of what Seth is planning to do. Writing cannot do away with details, especially in fiction. If we are to consider that fiction is a made-up event, we must lend our story an element of belief. To do that, the writer must present details skillfully that it becomes a representation of reality. Tone and mood play a big part as well. A setting can be intimidating or accommodating. It can be hostile or friendly. It can also appear neutral.