Susie McComb

Susie McComb is a UK-based poet and independent scholar integrating research on rhyme, cognition, aesthetics and musicality into her creative practice. She is a multi-winning, nationally competitive slam poetry champion who has presented papers on rhyme, cognition and creativity at academic conferences and written a six-part series of articles on rhyme and songwriting for Mslexia women’s literary magazine, among other endeavours. She is committed to using her academic research to inspire confidence and creativity in those practising in verbal arts.

Rhyme and Songwriting Workshop

Rhyme is a challenging skill for songwriters to master, yet when handled well the device can help lyrical language feel more memorable, more beautiful and more truthful. In this workshop, we will explore practical ways that songwriters can increase their confidence in working with rhyme, offering opportunities for students to experiment directly with rarer forms such as ‘pararhyme’ and ‘reverse rhyme’, building ‘word pools’ from which they can work backwards to craft resonant, compelling lyrical hooks.