There are loads of them, aren't there. Adrian's question about chapters got me thinking about them all. Don't make your chapters too long, don't use a heavy accent for a character for too long, don't use too many adjectives, don't jump POV too often, murder your darlings, blah, blah, blah...
Are there ever excuses for breaking the rules and would you break any for your story?
I agree with Mark. What rules? I don't follow a set of rules, I just write. It's as simple as that. I won't let a set of rules dictate how I write. Surely that's the most wonderful thing about writing, no rules, no boundaries, no limitations, you can do what you want, when you want and how you want, etcetera.
Yes there is common sense, good writing and bad writing, but surely, this is your creation, your baby, your master peice (hopefully) so you do what you damn well please with it.
I'm sure if your aim is to get published then loosely sticking to a small number of rules may help, but at the end of the day the pure genius of writing means you can do what you damn well please, whether it is good or bad.
Rules?
Are there any such thing - honestly now - as rules?
Yes of course there are, as in include a self-addressed envelope... but 'rules' as in what you should write where and when... I don't think so.
There's common sense, and there is good and bad writing. Those things work together to dictate when something works - a writer who follows 'rules' is probably heading for a fall. I would define a successful writer as one who plays hell with 'rules.' Name your favourite writer and see how many rules they stick to - not many, I bet.
Just my opinion...
I agree with Zaann.
If breaking away from conventions benefits your story or suits your individual narrative style, then definitely do it. Writing is a subjective practice, so nobody's ever going to agree unanimously on the right way to do it. Rules like 'don't use too many adjectives' are a guideline at best, and although they're worth noting, it's far more important to achieve your full, unique potential on the page by writing what you want. If we all followed conventions to the letter, the stories we invented wouldn't be interesting (or our own).