A Quick Secret About "Rules"

We've all heard them. The dos and don'ts about writing. Don't start chapter one with the weather. Vampires are lame now and no one wants them. Don't make your main character unlikable. Blah, blah, blah...

You know what I think? Screw the "rules."

Example #1: Louisiana summers are unforgiving. You know what that is? That's the first sentence of my debut novel, The Summer I Became a Nerd. Weather, I started with weather. Also, I like vampires. I wouldn't mind reading about more of them or seeing more movies about them. In fact, here's example #2:

Only Lovers Left Alive starring Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton comes out this year and is "A story centered on two vampires who have been in love for centuries."

I'm sorry, but that movie looks freaking awesome and I will be paying good money to see it.

People are constantly telling us what not to do. And they will always do so. But the only rule, in my opinion, is follow your gut. Do what you think is right. In the end, you're the only one that will be held responsible for your work. Don't you want that work to be completely you?

In case you didn't catch my meaning yet, here it is in gif form:

And when everything is said and done, you'll be able to say: