User blog comment:Dorkpool/Why Doesn't The Jeff Formula Work (And How To Fix It)/@comment-25148755-20150406163308

Pretty much agree with you completely here. There's nothing wrong with the so called "JtK Formula," other than the two facts that 1) it's been done so many times and 2) most writers do it so poorly. I've said it before that the biggest problem most authors who fall into this trap face is that they have an idea for a, many times somewhat interesting, OC who they then try to shoehorn into a super thin/vanilla story. Come up with a good story idea first, then work at getting your characters involved.