5 gold rings: writers

As we move towards Christmas, we thought we'd take a moment to look back at some of the hundreds of columns we've published across the last year.

And it is hundreds: we publish a new piece every working day - meaning there's plenty to catch-up on if you're at a loose end this holiday.

Here are 5 pieces which we hope were particularly useful to writers.

1) The 3 Cs for character

In this piece, we looked at three key elements you should consider when developing characters.

Coherence, compatibility and comic attributes - they're all discussed here.

2) The Comedy Doctor on writing partnerships

Some useful advice on developing and sustaining a writing partnership from our resident physician of funny.

Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, Ben Elton and Richard Curtis, Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain - some of the greatest television comedy ever broadcast is the product of writing partnerships.

3) 5 quick tips to get your writing back on track

All writers face problems and issues when they're writing. Plot problems, character issues. It's just a simple reality of life that some days are going to be better than others.

Here are 5 quick tips to get your writing back on track.

4) Embrace failure, celebrate wins

Pro member Mike Cooper shared his inspiring and constructive approach to developing his comedy writing career.

Embrace the inevitable failures and really enjoy the wins. And no matter how hard it gets or how pointless it may feel when you are getting rejection after rejection, please just keep writing, because I promise, someone out there will love your work!

5) Mistakes to avoid in your scripts

Here are some common mistakes you really should try to avoid in your scripts. We see them over and over again!