Creating a world

For a while now, I would love to write a story that would someday be published, in other words, a book. For years I have written (not all finished) stories with characters and worlds that are not my own but I never had an good idea to write a story around until now. I am not going to say what my idea is, because I'm afraid someone else is going to use it.

Before I can write the story however, I have to shape the world and let everything make sense since it is going to be a fantasy story situated in another universe. I never thought writing a fantasy novel is so difficult and needs so much preparation. Every world has a history, and every race has it's own customs and traditions. Who rules the world and how? From what are the houses built and why? Loads of work, and the funniest thing is that most of the things I need to figure out, aren't important in the plot, but will make the world seem more real and realistic. So far I defined the basis of one race, but it still needs a lot more refining.

I will need to put a lot of work and effort in this story if ever want to finish it, but it might be that it would never be published. I know I am not yet good enough, but if I don't practise, or try, how can I get better? So I'm just going to go for it and see where I end up. If I get published, awesome! If I don't, at least I tried.