With a decade of Fringe experience between them - as performers, press and punters - Jon Gracey and Viv Egan decided to write down everything they know to help future generations of Fringe hopefuls, and attempt to recoup some of the many thousands of pounds they've sunk into going to Edinburgh each year.

Ever dreamed of doing a show at the Edinburgh Fringe? Thousands have done it, and those thousands have made millions of mistakes. And while they'll tell you mistakes are part of the fun, they're really not. Mistakes suck. We know, because we've made them.

This is your guide to navigating the behemoth that is the Edinburgh Fringe - the biggest arts festival in the world, which attracts 20,000 performers each year. Whether you're a dancer, comedian, cabaret act, ventriloquist, juggler, playwright or all of the above, we're here to help with every aspect of preparing for and tackling the Fringe - plus we've backed up our knowledge by asking performers, producers, agents, press and venue staff for their best advice and top tips.

First published: Wednesday 15th January 2014