What Schrijven Online does

Schrijven Online is a Dutch online writing community and consumer publishing platform operated by Uitgeverij Virtùmedia from Zeist, Netherlands. The platform serves aspiring, hobbyist, and serious writers across the Netherlands and Belgium through a combination of free editorial content (news, tips, blogs), an active discussion forum, peer proofreading (Proeflezen), writing contests, book presentations, and a newsletter. Its core paid offering is Schrijven Magazine, a bi-monthly (6x/year) print and digital magazine available via direct subscription and through Dutch bookstore chains (AKO, Bruna, Primera, Readshops) and select Albert Heijn locations.

The product portfolio is anchored by the Schrijven Magazine subscription stack, which includes a standard tier, a Leesplezier tier with bonus issues, a Schrijven + Boekenkrant combideal, and Schrijven Magazine Plus (a digital thematic supplement published 6x/year from €14.95). Adjacent paid offerings include online writing courses (schrijfcursussen.nu) and a manuscript analysis service, both discounted for subscribers. The Alice literary supplement (launched 2016) publishes unknown writing talent inside the magazine, while the site's Proeflezen section and forum enable peer feedback and community interaction.

The business model is subscription-led recurring revenue, supplemented by course fees, manuscript evaluation fees, and book sales. Marketing relies on content marketing, an email newsletter, a 'werf een abonnee' referral program, and earned media (De Volkskrant coverage). Geographic reach is limited to the Dutch-speaking Netherlands and Belgium markets, and the company is privately held with no disclosed funding, no parent company, and a lean team of seven employees.

Name

Schrijven Online

Legal name

Uitgeverij Virtùmedia

Website

https://schrijvenonline.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Schrijven Online is a Dutch consumer publishing platform and writing community, operated by Uitgeverij Virtùmedia, offering Schrijven Magazine subscriptions, online courses, manuscript analysis, and an active forum to aspiring and hobbyist writers in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Writing community and content publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Blogging & Website Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Newsletter Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAA), Writing Critique Groups & Peer Workshops (EDAMAMAJ), Manuscript Development Services (Coaching, Developmental Editing) (MPAJAJAF), Publishing & Submission Prep Workshops (Query Letters, Agents, Journals) (EDAMAMAI)

Keywords

• Writing magazine subscription
• Online writing community
• Manuscript analysis services
• Writing courses platform
• Literary publication platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Zeist

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Core revenue from Schrijven Magazine subscriptions - 6x per year print/digital publication. Multiple tiers including basic subscription, Leesplezier (extra reading pleasure with bonus issues), and combination with Boekenkrant. Annual billing with first-year discounts.
2. Plus Membership: Schrijven Magazine Plus - online magazine 6x per year, published in months when main magazine doesn't appear. Priced at €14.95 per year, offering additional exclusive content and discounts on courses.
3. Writing Courses: Online writing courses offered through schrijfcursussen.nu. Abonnees receive discounts on courses and manuscript evaluations.
4. Manuscript Analysis: Manuscript evaluation and feedback services for writers, with discounts for subscribers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Schrijven Online is a Dutch online community and publishing platform for writers, operated by Uitgeverij Virtùmedia. The company sells subscriptions to Schrijven Magazine (a 6x-per-year print/digital magazine), Schrijven Magazine Plus (an online digital magazine), and a bundled subscription with Boekenkrant. Additional paid offerings include online writing courses via schrijfcursussen.nu, professional manuscript analysis services, and writing-craft books. The platform also provides free editorial content, a community forum, peer proofreading, and writing competitions.

Product overview

Schrijven Online is a Dutch writing community platform operated by Uitgeverij Virtùmedia, offering a comprehensive ecosystem for writers. The core platform provides free community resources including articles, news, tips, blogs, forum discussions, writing contests, and activities. The main paid products are Schrijven Magazine (a bi-monthly print magazine 6x/year) and Schrijven Magazine Plus (an online digital magazine 6x/year dedicated to single topics), which also includes the literary publication platform Alice. Additional premium offerings include writing courses (Schrijfcursussen), manuscript analysis, and the Boekenkrant book catalog available as a combined subscription. The platform also offers proofreading services, book presentations, and a newsletter. The products work together to support writers from inspiration through publication, with subscriber discounts connecting the various premium services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alice: Literary publication platform within Schrijven Magazine focused on unpublished writing talent.
• Schrijven Magazine Plus
• Boekenkrant

Products and services

• Schrijven Magazine A bi-monthly (6x per year) Dutch magazine, in print and digital formats, providing writing tips, exercises, workshops, information about writing and publishing books, and interviews with established and debut authors. Sold by annual subscription, with home delivery in the Netherlands and Belgium, plus retail availability in Dutch bookstores.
• Schrijven Magazine Plus An online-only digital magazine published 6x per year, with each issue dedicated to a single writing topic. Sold as an annual membership starting at €14.95/year; Plus members receive discounts on writing courses.
• Schrijfcursussen (Writing Courses) Online writing courses hosted on schrijfcursussen.nu covering topics such as novel writing, short stories, poetry, and other craft areas. Subscribers of Schrijven Magazine and Plus receive discounts on these courses.
• Manuscriptanalyse (Manuscript Analysis) Professional manuscript review and feedback service for writers, ordered via the schrijfcursussen.nu shop. Available at a discount to Schrijven Magazine subscribers; deliverables are written analysis comments aimed at evaluating a submitted story or manuscript.
• Boekenkrant (book catalog subscription bundle) Book industry publication featuring reviews, interviews, and book news, published 11x per year. Available as a stand-alone subscription or as a 'Combideal' bundle with Schrijven Magazine (17 combined issues per year).
• Schrijfboeken (Writing Books) Books about writing craft and technique sold through the online shop, including titles such as 'Plot: bedenk het verhaal achter het verhaal' bundled as a Leesplezier bonus.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Medium: Large online blogging and content platform with a built-in writer community. Competes for the long-tail attention of aspiring Dutch writers and offers a free alternative to paid publication.
• Substack: Newsletter and blogging publishing platform that empowers individual writers to monetize directly via subscriptions. Represents a competitive alternative path for Dutch writers considering paid writing content vs. Schrijven Online's bundled subscription.
• Reedsy: Online platform connecting authors with editors, designers, and marketers, plus educational resources for self-publishing writers. Comparable overlap in the aspirant-writer segment and adjacent services (manuscript feedback, courses).
• Wattpad: Global online community for writers to publish, share, and receive feedback. Overlaps with Schrijven Online's community and peer-review features, though the audience skews younger and the platform is global rather than Dutch-language.
• LitHub: Online literary magazine and community featuring original writing, author interviews, and craft essays. Overlaps with Schrijven Online's literary publication role (Alice) and editorial content mix.

Direct peers

• Writer's Digest: Long-running US magazine and community for aspiring writers offering writing tips, competitions, and editorial services. Highly comparable model to Schrijven Magazine (print/digital periodical + community + courses), adapted to the English-speaking market.
• The Writer Magazine: Monthly print and digital magazine for writers with tips, exercises, and industry information. Closest English-language analog to Schrijven Magazine in scope and target audience.

Regional players

• Boekblad: Dutch trade publication covering the book industry (publishers, booksellers, authors). Comparable to the Boekenkrant sub-brand of Schrijven Online in serving the Dutch book market with industry-relevant content.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schrijvenonline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Schrijven Online