Mr. Godin started it. Brand Shift reminded me about it. It just got the English major in me going and I simply couldn't stop.
The Steinbeck Rule
Ma Joad, The Grapes of Wrath - "Because we are the people, and the people go on"
This rule could be used to explain the importance of bloggers to journalists - or, hey, maybe it could be the rally cry of the Buzz Marketing group.
The Orwell Rule
1984 - 'How can I help it?' he blubbered. 'How can I help seeing what is in front of my eyes? Two and two are four.' "Sometimes, Winston. Sometimes they are five. Sometimes they are three. Sometimes they are all of them at once. You must try harder. It is not easy to become sane."
This rule explains why sometimes, even though you've followed every rule in "the book," the thing still doesn't turn out like you've expected.
The Tolkien Rule
Fellowship of the Rings - "Not all who wander are lost."
This rule was created for we folks who are longing for a tolerance in the businessworld of mental wandering, electronic exploring, sitting in the sun for 10 minutes, to have an excuse for the accounting types why we are temporarily away from our desk.
The Salinger Rule
Catcher in the Rye - "Certain things should just stay as they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone."
A rule the accounting types can break out when we creative types want to change something just because it would be so damn fun (but not necessarily because it was broke).
The Adams Rule
Zaphod Beeblebrox, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - "Don't try to out-weird me, three eyes. I get weirder things than you in my breakfast cereal."
And, lastly, my addendum to Seth's Tolstoy Rule. Even though it's good to be new and interesting, don't be new and interesting just for attention's sake. It's just not as cool.