Why Bob Dylan Should Be Awarded the Nobel Prize

This is in response to: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/opinion/why-bob-dylan-shouldnt-have-gotten-a-nobel.html

"..but by awarding the prize to him, the Nobel committee is choosing not to award it to a writer, and that is a disappointing choice."

"But Mr. Dylan's writing is inseparable from his music. He is great because he is a great musician, and when the Nobel committee gives the literature prize to a musician, it misses the opportunity to honor a writer."

What defines a writer? Why is there a need to pay excessive amounts of attention to boundaries. Why is there a need to be so pedantic over terms that have little impact on literature?
Literature: Written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit. Simply put, the wirrten word. How are Dylan's lyrics, which are words written on paper, any different from an author or poet's written work? Sure, there is the element of musical notes, but why should that matter? The removal of music from his lyrics does not remove the artistic merit of what he has written! If we were to absolutely disregard songwriters, heck, even script writers, from being potential nobel prize winners, we would be missing out on a huge pool of talent that we can tap on! And doesn't music and "conventional" literature have many parallels? Beats, rhythm, sounds, and, most of all, its potential to invoke feeling and thought in people.

"As reading declines around the world, literary prizes are more important than ever."
"A big prize means a jump in sales and readership even for a well known writer."

Sure, how many winners of the Nobel Prize have fallen into oblivion? Why is it, despite years and years of awarding the Nobel Prize to "conservative" and "real" authors, that reading is still on the decline amidst the rise in smartphones and screen time? Perhaps by introducing a songwriter into the mix, the power of the written word would reach a greater audience and even get more people liking literature!


"Awarding the Nobel to a novelist or poet is a way of affirming that fiction and poetry still matter, that they are crucial human endeavours worthy of international recognition."
"Popular music is such an endeavour too..... (but it already) receives the recognition it deserves"

The same can be said about popular authors who have won the nobel prize!

I'm just going to end it off here. I'm too tired. I apologize for the choppy writing.