You are probably missing kuzushi (balance breaking) and/or atemi (stricks). Both serve the same purpose really: to distract your opponent so that they worry about something else rather than their wrist. Then, applying a wrist lock becomes easy (read: easier).

The ninth technique of the goshin-no-kata shows just what I mean: you have a lapel grab which is deflected by both moving and breaking balance (kuzushi) and a punch to the face (atemi). The following wrist lock is trivial to apply. The technique finished on a throw because uke is still fighting the lock! It is not enough, thus we thrown uke outwards after smashing his face yet again.

You are probably missing kuzushi (balance breaking) and/or atemi (strikes). Both serve the same purpose: to distract your opponent so that they worry about something else rather than their wrist. Then, applying a wrist lock becomes easy (read: easier).

The ninth technique of the goshin-no-kata shows just what I mean: you have a lapel grab which is deflected by both moving and breaking balance (kuzushi) and a punch to the face (atemi). The following wrist lock is then trivial to apply. The technique finished on a throw because uke is still fighting the lock! It is not enough, therefore we throw uke outwards after smashing his face yet again.