So, What About All These Rules, Then?

For some reason, I keep running into writers - mostly those who aren't yet published, but sometimes ones who are - who seem to have gotten the impression that there is some sort of checklist that editors work through before they'll buy a book. I ran into one recently who had a whole list of rules and requirements for writing a novel:  it has to open with a hook, it has to have lots of action, there has to be lots of backstory (I believe this particular author felt that he should know the...