Have you ever tried to write a story that just didn’t want to be written? Perhaps you weren’t using the right tool. Like trying to loosen a screw with a hammer, it just won’t work.

Here are five tools to consider from your writer’s toolbox when your masterpiece is giving you trouble.

1) Try journal entries. This can lead to some amazing breakthroughs as you begin to understand your character. While telling a story through journal entries requires a strong voice, several authors have done so successfully. (Melody Carlson’s Diary of a Teenage Girl, or Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid are good examples)

2) Play with the timeline. This usually works best if there is one central event that your story revolves around, such as a murder. However, it can be difficult to pull this off as the writer musn’t get confused about the order of events. Consider creating a storyboard to help you keep track of your timeline.

3) Use a prologue. Prologues are an excellent way to foreshadow important events in your story. Many, many novels use prologues with varying success. When writing a book with a prologue, don’t forget to tie in the prologue with the current events in your story.

4) Switch point of views. This works best if you have multiple stakeholders (i.e., they have something to gain or lose) in your story. Of course it can be confusing for your reader so make sure to give each character a unique voice. An excellent book that has multiple viewpoints is Neal Shusterman’s Unwind. Each character has a unique voice that shapes their outlook on life and the world around them.

Remember – If you pick multiple stakeholders to tell your story, only use the ones that have the most to gain or lose.

5) Change the POV. Sometimes characters will only speak in a certain point of view. If you use first person (I, me, my) consider switching to third (she, her, hers) or vice versa.

So now it’s up to you. What tool do you need to tell your story?

Debra Weiss, editor of Today’s Teen Writer, is a freelance writer living on the East Coast. When she’s not writing or editing, she can usually be found at her website.