While writers do not want to bog readers down in unnecessary detail, stories do need a strong sense of place. Setting answers two of a journalist's six questions - where and when. Both are extremely important. In a good story, the place, the people and the action are smoothly integrated. Setting or mood also help in character development.
Students can select some pictures of ordinary items or familiar scenes from the newspaper.
Instruct them to view the objects or scenes as though they were strange and unusual. This exercise helps students to control their distance from what they are describing. Help them shift their focus so that they see things in a fresh way. Use a cinematic metaphor and to ask students to imagine they have a 35mm camera and are taking a picture of something from several different vantage points. Workplaces make perfect story settings because they make it easy to integrate the place and the character.