Many worldbuilders are unsuccessful because they rely too much on their "head canon" which is a concept that affects all sorts of writers.
Head Canon: The idea in your head is well developed and makes so much sense! This is how it should be and makes you think you have a great idea.
The problem lies in the simple fact that while your idea might be cool, the way you've revealed it is boring. No one reads a book to be given a list of facts or events. They didn't buy a copy of that novel to read lists of events and details. They want to read to experience moments within a new world.
When your head canon suffers from the plague of poor narration, good ideas become painful to read, often ignored. One enormous skill to master is to slow. down.
Take a paragraph from your own writing (latest Opus post) and rewrite it to be two pages. That's right. Two pages worth of showing your reader what is happening instead of telling them.
Still lace in history and thought and dialogue, but stop this listing of moments.
For many of you, this is because you choose to do your writing pieces all in one sitting. You often repeat yourself or change your story slightly in the middle of the piece. When you have so much to say and plan to do it in a short amount of time, your head canon comes out as boring lists. This happened and then this and then he thought this and this happened.
Quit telling us what happened and show us it happening.
The mist swirled around, almost as if it was dancing in the night’s cool air. Bark so close, you could smell the life coming off. Oddir spotted a house, made of cobble and copper. Interesting choice of building material. The house loomed over Oddir, casting a shadow that enveloped the area around. It bigger than a cottage but not quite the height of a castle. The stone was cracked and lined with moss, with the wooden door looked old and brittle, lathered with splinters and holes. The copper shined along with the moon’s light. Oddir foot moved ever closer to the house, the ground crunching and small frost bursting from the crushed grass. The door shatter, tiny woods flying through the air. Followed by a chain made of dark iron, ensnaring itself around Oddir and reeling backwards, his screams fading in the darkness.
Oddir was flung against the wall with a loud thud from the impact. Pain sprawled from his spine all over. His legs felt weary, unable to support much of his weight. Standing before him something familiar. Its skin blacken and starched, legs with various symbols and do-dads. Besides the monster stood a figure clad with potions and tools, who bore a white cloak and dark hair. Thick, black boots and gloves to complete the look of a doctor. "You must the one who attacked my creation, well, now you shall pay." The doctor said with a stern tone. The doctor’s boot thudded on the floor. His face then lights up, with something brewing in his head. "I have a little experiment for you to do. I am aware of the crystal in your satchel. Let us see if you can defeat my creation with your magic. If you kill him, you will be free, if you lose, you can be my test subject" the mad doctor said with a maniacal grim flashing on his face. Oddir opened his mouth to speak, before the floor beneath him caved him and Oddir fell into more darkness, with the doctor waving goodbye as he pulled a lever, closing the opening in the floor above Oddir. [To Be Continued]