The Nobel season kicks off Monday with the announcement of the medicine prize, followed by the physics prize on Tuesday and chemistry on Wednesday.

The literature laureate is traditionally revealed on a Thursday during the Nobel week.

The peace prize winner is scheduled to be announced on Friday, and the economics prize on Monday, October 15.

In line with tradition, the Swedish Academy gave no indication of its choice for the literature prize. It never reveals the names it is considering, and its deliberations are sealed for 50 years.

No favourites have emerged for the 2012 prize, but Stockholm literary circles have suggested that it is time for the prize to be given to a woman or a North American.

Only 12 of the 108 Nobel Literature Prize laureates since 1901 have been women. The last North American to win the award was US writer Toni Morrison in 1993.

Last year, the honour went to Swedish poet Tomas Transtroemer.