De Schrijverscentrale
De Schrijverscentrale is a Dutch intermediary that mediates 5,000–6,000 author visits annually between a curated network of 4,000+ literary makers and Dutch schools, libraries, bookstores, companies, and government bodies, earning a 10% commission on author honoraria under a public reading-promotion mission.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersNetherlands, Netherlands
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What De Schrijverscentrale does
De Schrijverscentrale is a Dutch cultural intermediary founded around 1970 that mediates author visits between a curated network of more than 4,000 literary makers (writers, poets, illustrators, translators, spoken word artists, and comic artists) and Dutch organizations including primary and secondary schools, vocational and higher education institutions, public libraries, bookstores, festivals, companies, and government bodies. The organization facilitates between 5,000 and 6,000 author visits annually under a public reading-promotion mission supported by the Dutch national government (Rijksoverheid), as articulated in its 2025–2028 policy plan 'In alle haarvaten'. It operates as the default broker in the Dutch market, handling all contractual and financial administration for both demand and supply sides and aligning its offering with national thematic campaigns such as Kinderboekenweek, Poëzieweek, and Nationale Voorleesdagen.
The underlying technology is a standard web-based booking and profile-management platform (visually indicated as Ruby on Rails) that supports author self-registration, organization intake forms, and mediator-led matching. There is no proprietary AI or machine-learning layer; quality assurance relies on human-led editorial review (six named freelance reviewers for self-publishing authors) and on model contracts co-developed with the Auteursbond and Dutch publisher groups (LUG, GAU, WKU). Supporting modules include the Spreekkunstacademie training sub-brand for registered literary makers and school preparation toolkits (PO and VO versions) that embed De Schrijverscentrale into educator workflow.
The business model is primarily transaction-based: De Schrijverscentrale takes a 10% commission on the author's honorarium for each mediated visit, with a minimum fee of €45.45 excluding VAT, and authors set their own honoraria on top of a base honorarium set by the organization. A secondary revenue stream is a €250 (excluding 21% VAT) external editorial review charged to self-publishing authors who do not meet standard publisher-mediated criteria, payable regardless of acceptance outcome. The organization is privately held with a Supervisory Board (Raad van Toezicht) chaired by Gunay Uslu since December 2025 and led by Director Johanna Somers; it receives structural support from the Dutch national government rather than venture or private-equity capital.
De Schrijverscentrale firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- De Schrijverscentrale
- Legal name
- De Schrijverscentrale
- Website
- https://deschrijverscentrale.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- De Schrijverscentrale is a Dutch intermediary that mediates 5,000–6,000 author visits annually between a curated network of 4,000+ literary makers and Dutch schools, libraries, bookstores, companies, and government bodies, earning a 10% commission on author honoraria under a public reading-promotion mission.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
De Schrijverscentrale industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Literary Mediation Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Literary Arts & Writing Organizations (BPAGAHAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Author Service Marketplaces & Aggregators (Vetting, Bundled Services) (MPAJAJAB), Publishing & Submission Prep Workshops (Query Letters, Agents, Journals) (EDAMAMAI)
Keywords
Where De Schrijverscentrale is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Netherlands
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
De Schrijverscentrale business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Author mediation commission: De Schrijverscentrale takes a 10% commission on the author's honorarium for each mediated visit, with a minimum fee of €45.45 (excluding VAT). This is the primary revenue stream from facilitating author visits between literary makers and booking organizations.
- External manuscript review (self-publishing): For self-publishing authors who do not meet the standard criteria, an external editorial review costs €250 excluding 21% VAT. The review is paid regardless of outcome — rejection does not result in a refund. This is a separate service for author onboarding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Author mediation commission |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
De Schrijverscentrale product offering
Product offeringCore offering
De Schrijverscentrale is a Dutch intermediary organization that mediates and coordinates author visits between literary makers (writers, poets, illustrators, spoken word artists, translators, and comic artists) and Dutch organizations including schools, libraries, bookstores, festivals, companies, and government bodies. The organization facilitates between 5,000 and 6,000 author visits per year, handling contract and financial administration while maintaining a curated network of over 4,000 vetted literary makers.
Product overview
De Schrijverscentrale operates as a booking and mediation platform for literary makers in the Netherlands. The core product is the Schrijversbezoeken (Author Visits) service, which mediates between 5,000-6,000 author visits annually, connecting writers, poets, translators, spoken word artists, illustrators, and comic artists with organizations such as libraries, schools, bookshops, festivals, and companies. The platform includes supporting modules: the Spreekkunstacademie (Speaking Arts Academy) offering training workshops for registered literary makers, an online registration platform for new literary makers to join the network, and toolkits for schools to prepare for author visits. The organization does not appear to be a software-as-a-service platform but rather a service-based mediation organization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Spreekkunstacademie: Training and workshop program for registered literary makers, offering sessions on public speaking, presentation skills, and vocal care.
Products and services
- Schrijversbezoeken (Author Visits) The primary mediation service connecting literary makers (writers, poets, illustrators, spoken word artists, translators, comic artists) with Dutch organizations including libraries, schools, bookshops, festivals, companies, and government bodies. The organization handles between 5,000 and 6,000 author visits per year, with a 10% commission on author honorariums (minimum €45.45 excluding VAT).
Quantifiable outcome
- Research conducted with VU-NT2 demonstrates that author visits increase language enjoyment, self-confidence, and social cohesion among participants, including vulnerable groups such as NT2 learners and low-literacy adults.
Companies that use De Schrijverscentrale
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles4 records
De Schrijverscentrale technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
De Schrijverscentrale partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Bibliotheek KennemerwaardcoreBibliotheek Kennemerwaard (public library) was the local implementing partner in the Zaffier project, helping organize and host the writing workshops led by author Karin Giphart.
- RaphaelstichtingcoreThe Raphaelstichting was a partner in the Zaffier storytelling project, collaborating on the design and delivery of the writing program for Zaffier employees.
- VU-NT2coreVU-NT2 (VU University language education department) conducted research on the impact of author visits on NT2 (Dutch as a second language) learners and low-literacy adults as part of the Zaffier project, providing evidence of Schrijverscentrale's program outcomes.
- Auteursbond (Dutch Authors' Association)coreThe Auteursbond co-developed the model contracts used by De Schrijverscentrale for original Dutch literary works, children's books, and translations, in collaboration with LUG, GAU, and WKU publisher groups.
- Literaire Uitgevers Groep (LUG)coreLUG co-developed the model contract for original Dutch literary works with the Auteursbond, which De Schrijverscentrale uses as a quality criterion for author onboarding.
- Groep Algemene Uitgevers (GAU)coreGAU participated in developing the model contracts used by De Schrijverscentrale for literary works and author vetting.
- Werkgroep Kinderboekenuitgevers (WKU)coreWKU co-developed the model contract for children's book publications used by De Schrijverscentrale as an author quality benchmark.
- Charlotte Beerda and Monique Hendriks (Spoken word scouts)coreReputable scouts who advise De Schrijverscentrale on the admission of spoken word artists to the network, ensuring quality standards for this creator category.
- External editorial reviewers (Manon Duintjer, Leonie Hardeman, Jacqueline de Jong, Louise Koopman, Sofie Mulders, Mirjam Pörtzgen)coreExperienced freelance editors engaged by De Schrijverscentrale to assess manuscripts of self-publishing authors who do not meet standard criteria, at a cost of €250 per review.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
De Schrijverscentrale competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Society of Authors (UK): UK membership organization for writers, illustrators, and literary translators offering professional advice, contract vetting, and event support. Comparable to De Schrijverscentrale in its membership network of literary creators and quality-vetting role, though operating in a different geography.
- Stichting Lezen: Dutch nonprofit foundation focused on reading promotion and literacy in the Netherlands. Comparable to De Schrijverscentrale in its Dutch mission, nonprofit structure, and government-backed mandate to increase reading engagement through programmatic interventions.
- Scottish Book Trust: Scottish charity that runs author events, school visits, and literacy programs. Closely comparable to De Schrijverscentrale in its author-visit booking model for schools and libraries, literacy mission, and charity/nonprofit structure funded partly by government and foundations.
- CPNB (Collectieve Propaganda voor het Nederlandse Boek): Dutch collective book promotion organization that orchestrates national reading campaigns including 'Nederland Leest'. Highly comparable to De Schrijverscentrale in coordinating national literary campaigns, government-supported structure, and Dutch market focus on connecting books with readers.
- Writers' Trust of Canada: Canadian nonprofit that supports Canadian writers through awards, events, and programming. Comparable in its nonprofit literary-arts mission, author-services orientation, and government/foundation-backed operating model, though with a different national scope.
Regional players
- Letterkundig Museum (Museum van het Boek / Literatuurmuseum): Dutch museum dedicated to literary heritage and Dutch-language literature. Comparable as a Dutch literary-arts nonprofit organization with similar cultural-policy ties, though focused on collection/preservation rather than mediating live author visits.
Broad incumbents
- National Literacy Trust (UK): UK charity dedicated to improving literacy across all ages, with broader scope than De Schrijverscentrale. Comparable in its literacy mission, school engagement focus, and evidence-based advocacy, but operates at a larger scale and broader programmatic remit than the Dutch literary mediation focus.
Emerging players
- Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS): UK collective management organization that collects royalties for writers and supports author livelihoods. Partially comparable to De Schrijverscentrale in serving the financial and professional interests of a large network of authors, though its focus is on rights licensing rather than booking mediation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
De Schrijverscentrale social profiles
Digital presenceDe Schrijverscentrale financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
De Schrijverscentrale leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
De Schrijverscentrale funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
De Schrijverscentrale M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about De Schrijverscentrale
What does De Schrijverscentrale do?
De Schrijverscentrale is a Dutch intermediary organization that mediates and coordinates author visits between literary makers (writers, poets, illustrators, spoken word artists, translators, and comic artists) and Dutch organizations including schools, libraries, bookstores, festivals, companies, and government bodies. The organization facilitates between 5,000 and 6,000 author visits per year, handling contract and financial administration while maintaining a curated network of over 4,000 vetted literary makers.
Is De Schrijverscentrale a public or private company?
De Schrijverscentrale is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was De Schrijverscentrale founded?
De Schrijverscentrale was founded in 1970. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is De Schrijverscentrale based?
De Schrijverscentrale is headquartered in Netherlands, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does De Schrijverscentrale make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Author mediation commission is the primary driver. The others are external manuscript review (self-publishing).
Who are De Schrijverscentrale's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Society of Authors (UK), Stichting Lezen, Scottish Book Trust, CPNB (Collectieve Propaganda voor het Nederlandse Boek) and Writers' Trust of Canada. Letterkundig Museum (Museum van het Boek / Literatuurmuseum) is listed as a regional player. National Literacy Trust (UK) is listed as a broad incumbent. Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) is listed as an emerging player.
Does De Schrijverscentrale have an API?
No public API is recorded for De Schrijverscentrale.
What industry is De Schrijverscentrale in?
De Schrijverscentrale's product category is Literary Mediation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAK, Literary Arts & Writing Organizations, with a secondary code of MPAJAJAB, Author Service Marketplaces & Aggregators (Vetting, Bundled Services). Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.