I have the facts but can't turn them into a good story, what am I missing?

Having the facts but not the story is one of the most common walls in the work, and it is not a sign you lack talent. Facts are the raw material. A story is what happens when you decide what those facts mean and which one matters most. That is a separate act, and it can be learned. The usual missing piece is the lead and the thread. Readers do not want everything at once; they want a way in and a reason to keep going. So find the single most important or surprising thing, start there, and let each fact after it answer a question the last one raised. If a detail does not pull the reader forward, it belongs lower or not at all. So before you write, try this: finish the sentence, this story matters because, in plain words. That sentence is your compass. Build the piece around it, cut what does not serve it, and the clear, compelling story you are reaching for starts to appear.