When Stories Fall Flat

I was reading the intro to Life of Pi and Martel talks about a manuscript he was working on that was well researched, he liked the characters, he even liked the story, but he just felt like it wasn't going anywhere. So, he decided he needed to cut his losses and move on. He says he mailed the manuscript to a fake address in another country so he'd never have to see it again.

I was relieved to hear that other people have stories they love, but can't make them work for one reason or another.

I have half of a book written--the first book I ever wrote actually. I love the characers. I love the story. I love the conflict. And yet, I can't seem to make it work.

I don't want to erase it, though, because I have dreams of going back and rewriting and revising and making it the novel I keep dreaming it could be.

What do you do when a wip just doesn't seem to be working for you? Do you give up? Trash it? Save it? Plow through? Or something uniquly you?