1) What is setting to you?

Setting is the key for any story, for without it, you only have a stream of consciousness. The setting can range from actual physical location, such as the tundra of Salvar to the towns of Scara Brae, the the situations and motivations behind character action. This differentiates how someone such as Madison Freebird would have an adventure differently in the same location than, say, Luna the Seaborn.

2) What is enough setting, as opposed to too much?

Enough setting will paint a vivid picture in the minds eye while allowing room for the reader to fill in the gaps. This is something I have always enjoyed about reading, that different people are able to have the freedom to visualize slightly different scenes even though they all understand the key elements and flow of the story.

Too much setting will bog down the pacing of the thread, and will be different depending on the setting. Walking into a new city at sunrise may have rich and detailed descriptions that allow the reader to feel awe and wonder through beautiful descriptions and more wordy techniques. In the thick of battle, brief and to the point descriptions would serve the story better.

3) How do you apply setting in your own work?

I would think that I tend to be partial to the setting of character circumstance and development. I try to illustrate motivations and progression. However, I also always try to find ways to have characters interact with the physical setting that they may find themselves in, making use of the unique features of each location. Direct, and creative/insightful, ways of interacting with setting helps weave setting throughout the story.