I've never been good at following rules. Someone says I can't do something, I turn round and do it. And I thought, oh the writing world – it's all so creative and freeform, right?

Wrong.

Now admittedly there are somethings that might not be advisable. Writing a bestialty scene in a book aimed at five-year-olds.  You can write it – but I doubt it'll get published.

But there seems to be a surfeit of 'rules' floating around that many writers think are set in stone, when really all they are is...