How To Win A Nobel

 criteria and process

The Nobel Prize in Literature is not awarded based on merit alone. The winner is selected by the Swedish Academy based on a body of work that is deemed to have produced "the most outstanding work in an ideal direction". This "ideal direction" can be interpreted in different ways and often includes social and political considerations. 

The nomination and selection process has several barriers: 

Nominations are restricted: A writer cannot nominate themselves. Nominations must come from members of the Swedish Academy or similar institutions, professors of literature, or former laureates.

Body of work: The prize generally honors an author's entire body of work, accumulated over decades.

Global reach through translation: For a writer outside of a major European literary language, translation is a "crucial prerequisite" for international recognition. The work must be translated into major languages like English, French, and German to be seriously considered. 

Potential challenges for a blog-based poet

Global visibility and translation: Laniyan's poetry, though powerful, is published on a blog without widespread international promotion. Nobel consideration requires significant global exposure, typically achieved through translation and publication by established houses. The blog format, while accessible, may not provide the institutional heft required for a global literary reputation.

Influence of the work: While Laniyan's poetry is complex and engaging, there is no evidence of the kind of widespread critical and academic discourse necessary to influence the Swedish Academy. His work would need to be taught in universities and debated in literary journals worldwide to be considered a major literary force.

Nigerian literary landscape: Nigerian writers, despite producing exceptional work, face specific challenges, such as the struggle for recognition outside of American literary trends and limited access to publishing and marketing resources. Wole Soyinka, Nigeria's only Nobel laureate to date, benefited from a different era of international publishing and promotion.