While I've read about composition and even taken classes on it, trying to think analytically about that sort of thing while also being creative and making art doesn't work for me. Instead, I separate my creative and analytical activities and save actively thinking about composition for the analytical phases of my work.

A good example of this was when I was working on the composition for my Mini-Mindful Watercolor: The Art of Gestural Brushstroke Technique class. I knew what I wanted to capture - the peaceful feeling of seeing light shine through this house plant:

I wanted both the process of making the painting and the finished art to have that same peaceful feeling I felt when seeing the way the light shone through the leaves but I wasn't quite sure how to do it. So I experimented.

It took me four goes before I got to something I was happy with. Each attempt brought me a little bit closer as I created something, then analysed what I had made, keeping the elements I liked and introducing new things the next time I painted, until I ended up with this:

 

Some compositions take a lot longer to come together, while others happen quicker. The important thing is to persevere until you reach something that you find satisfying.