Have a look at
www.soundonsound.com . You will find many useful articles to get you started.
As most of the other posters have said there are no hard and fast rules.
+1 on the bussing - get your structure set up first before you start.
I tend to split the drums up into even more busses ie SNARES/TOMS/CYMBALS HATS. going to a DRUM BUSS. I usually just send the kik to the DRUM BUSS
I'd at least go REST OF KIT/CYMBALS HATS.
I generally like to set up FX busses as well. Particularly Reverbs.
You can pan them at the sends etc. to add depth to your mix.
And try and avoid using Automation on busses - things can get nasty if you want to start chopping up the song at a later date.
One thing I don't think anyone has touched on is this:
TAKE A BREAK every 20 to 40 minutes for 10 minutes or so.
You'll find your own threshold for when you are not "hearing" anymore.
Also try and listen to your mix on several different speakers apart from your monitors - in your car, your home stereo, your crappy PC speakers. You might want to make a few tweaks after this. You don't have to tweak it - it's just interesting to get a different reference point.
Have fun - you'll be amazed at what you can do. You are about to embark on a very addictive ride