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If you haven't already seen this article about composition, then you should go read it right now. It's especially useful for creating scenes. And just a tip from myself on this...

It's possible to practice this sort of compositional thought process in everyday life as well. Try arranging things on your desk into a composition, or even better, some models. Keep a sketch pad with you and just doodle and think about these principles. Or in the case of myself, practice it when doing art projects with kids. The other day my son wanted to finger paint so I got all the stuff out and got a sheet of paper for myself as well. My son is 5, so I'll spare you his rather abstract art, but here's what I painted.

Once completed, I took a studious eye to it and realized my key error in the composition: the sun is centered. If I'd moved it of to the left or right just a bit, it would have made for a much stronger overall composition with the space separated into thirds. Even further, I could have exaggerated the lines coming off of it to draw more attention to the empty space in the middle. It's a fun exercise to do even in these very informal situations.