What Schrijversvakschool does

Schrijversvakschool is a private Dutch creative writing school founded in 1985 and headquartered above publisher Van Oorschot on the Herengracht canal in Amsterdam. It operates two primary product lines: a four-year part-time vocational writing program (Schrijfopleiding) requiring selection-based admission, and a portfolio of shorter writing courses (Schrijfcursussen) spanning prose, novel, poetry, theater, fantasy and science fiction, essay, column, youth literature, narrative non-fiction, and English-language creative writing. The school delivers instruction across 8 Dutch cities (Amsterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht, Den Bosch, Zwolle, Groningen, Leeuwarden, Arnhem) and online via Zoom, and additionally runs residential writing weeks in Bourmont, France, and Kloosterburen, Groningen.

The institution has approximately 29 employees and a faculty of 50+ instructors, all of whom are working, published authors. Its subsidiary initiative Scenariovakschool, spun off in 2021, carries the screenwriting curriculum that had been offered at Schrijversvakschool for 35 years. Revenue is generated almost entirely through course fees (€435–€1,675 per short course, with multi-year pricing for the four-year program), distributed via direct online enrollment, trial lessons, a seasonal calendar of fall/winter/spring/summer terms, and an organic marketing mix of SEO, content marketing, newsletter, and alumni-driven word-of-mouth.

Alumni outcomes — including publications at Querido, Van Oorschot, De Arbeiderspers, and De Geus, and wins at major Dutch literary prizes (Henriette Roland Holstprijs, Debutantenprijs, Frans Kellendonkprijs, Lucy B. en C.W. van der Hoogt-prijs) — form the school's primary social proof and brand engine. The school's core technology stack is conventional (Zoom, Vimeo, Google Analytics), with no proprietary platforms or AI-enabled features.

Name

Schrijversvakschool

Legal name

Schrijversvakschool

Website

https://schrijversvakschool.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schrijversvakschool is a 40-year-old Amsterdam-based private creative writing school offering a four-year vocational writing program and short courses across 12+ genres, delivered at 8 Dutch cities, online, and via residential writing weeks in France and Groningen, serving Dutch-speaking aspiring and hobbyist writers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Writing Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiction Writing Workshops (Short Story, Novel) (EDAMAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Genre Writing Workshops (Sci‑Fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Horror) (EDAMAMAG), Writing Retreats & Intensive Bootcamps (EDAMAMAK), Writing Critique Groups & Peer Workshops (EDAMAMAJ)

Keywords

• Creative writing education
• Professional writing courses
• Writing workshops
• Literary training programs
• Residential writing retreats

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Course Fees: The school generates revenue primarily through course fees. Students pay for individual courses or multi-week writing programs. Pricing varies by course type, duration, and format (online vs. on-location). The school offers a discount of €50 for returning students who completed a course within two years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Schrijversvakschool is a Dutch creative writing school that delivers a four-year part-time professional writing program (Schrijfopleiding) and shorter writing courses (Schrijfcursussen) across multiple genres including prose, novel, poetry, theater, fantasy and science fiction, essays, columns, youth literature, narrative non-fiction, and creative writing. Courses are offered in-person at 8 Dutch cities and online, with additional residential writing weeks in France and Kloosterburen.

Product overview

Schrijversvakschool is a Dutch creative writing school offering a four-year part-time vocational program (Schrijfopleiding) and shorter intensive writing courses (Schrijfcursussen). The course portfolio spans multiple genres including prose/short story, novel, poetry, theater, fantasy/science fiction, essays, columns, youth literature, creative writing, narrative non-fiction, and writing training. Courses are available in-person across multiple Dutch cities (Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Den Bosch, Zwolle, Groningen, Leeuwarden, Arnhem, and Rotterdam) and online. Additional offerings include residential writing weeks in France and Kloosterburen, summer intensive courses, and trial lessons. The school operates specialized subsidiary Scenariovakschool for screenwriting courses. The program is positioned for aspiring professional writers and hobbyists seeking to develop their writing skills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Schrijfopleiding (Four-Year Professional Writing Program) A four-year part-time vocational program aimed at professional writing, with a rigorous selection and admission process. Geared toward aspiring writers who want to develop professional-level craft and ultimately publish.
• Schrijfcursussen (Writing Courses) A portfolio of shorter writing courses available in multiple genres including prose, poetry, theater, fantasy, essays, columns, youth literature, and creative writing. Available in-person at 8 Dutch cities and online.
• Kort Verhaal (Short Story) Course Short story writing course focusing on plot development, narrative arc, character depiction, dialogue writing, and descriptive language.
• Roman (Novel) Course Novel writing course for developing longer narrative works.
• Poëzie (Poetry) Course Poetry writing course taught by various instructors.
• Toneel (Theater) Course Playwriting and theater writing course.
• Fantasy en Sciencefiction Course Course focused on speculative fiction writing, covering fantasy and science fiction subgenres with feedback on style, content, consistency, and world-building.
• Essay Course Essay writing course teaching how fascinations can lead to essays, including material gathering, associations, and maintaining textual tension.
• Column Course Column writing course covering structure, style, perspective, and suggestive writing techniques.
• Jeugdliteratuur (Youth Literature) Course Youth literature writing course for children's books.
• Schrijftraining (Writing Training) Course General writing training course introducing literary techniques with short prompt-based assignments.
• Verhalende Non-fictie (Narrative Non-fiction) Course Narrative non-fiction writing course teaching life stories, biographies, and factual narratives with literary techniques. Priced at €775 for 8 lessons of 3 hours each, maximum 8 participants on location, 7 online.
• Creative Writing Course (in English) English-language creative writing course for prose writers covering craft issues like word choice, imagery, character development, and point of view. Priced at €575 for 8 lessons of 3 hours each on location in Amsterdam, max 10 participants.
• Schrijfweek Frankrijk (Writing Week France) Week-long residential writing retreat in France with group lessons, individual guidance, and full board at a historic mansion in Bourmont. Priced €1550 (standard room) to €1675 (large room) or €1495 (shared) per person, including accommodation, all meals, drinks, and 6 group lessons.
• Schrijfweek Kloosterburen (Writing Week Kloosterburen) Week-long residential writing retreat in Kloosterburen, Groningen, with group lessons, individual guidance, and full board at a former monastery. Priced €1650 per person for single room with full board; €1600 for returning students.
• Zomercursussen (Summer Courses) Intensive short courses offered in summer, either online or in Amsterdam, with courses in short story writing and writing training. Priced €435 for 6 lessons of 3 hours in Amsterdam (max 10 participants) or online (max 8 participants).

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 years of successful operation with graduates publishing regularly at major Dutch publishers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ScenariovakschoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Scenariovakschool is an initiative of the Schrijversvakschool. In 2021, the scenario courses that had been offered at Schrijversvakschool for 35 years were spun off into an independent school with its own program focused specifically on screenwriting.
• LimnisaminorOthersLimnisa organizes writing retreats on the Greek coast and runs an annual short story competition. Third-year student Margo Hoogenberk won their summer 2018 competition with her story 'Knipseldochter'.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Curtis Brown Creative: Curtis Brown Creative is the writing school arm of UK literary agency Curtis Brown, offering novel, short story, and life-writing courses online and in London with published-writer instructors. Closely comparable business model — agency-adjacent creative writing education with published-author faculty and selective longer-form programs.
• Writing Workshops London: Writing Workshops is a UK creative writing school offering short courses in novel, short fiction, poetry, and screenwriting, taught by published authors in London and online. Comparable in delivery model (online + in-person, multi-genre) and price point structure.
• Schrijversacademie: Schrijversacademie is the closest Dutch peer — a competing creative writing school offering multi-genre courses (prose, poetry, column) primarily online and through Dutch locations, with a similar direct-to-consumer enrollment model and price points in the same €400–€800 range.
• Arvon Foundation: Arvon is a UK charity running residential creative writing courses and retreats in rural locations, comparable to Schrijversvakschool's writing-week retreats in Kloosterburen and France. Similar immersive, full-board residential model with published-author tutors, though UK-focused and non-profit.

Broad incumbents

• Gotham Writers Workshop: Gotham Writers Workshop is a long-running US creative writing school offering online courses across multiple genres (fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, poetry). Comparable in online-first multi-genre offering and direct-to-consumer enrollment, though US-focused and broader in scale.
• MasterClass: MasterClass is a subscription online learning platform featuring celebrity-author writing courses alongside many other categories. Comparable as an online writing-education product targeting aspirational writers, though much broader in scope and lacking Schrijversvakschool's selective admissions and live-feedback model.
• Faber Academy: Faber Academy is a UK-based creative writing school affiliated with publisher Faber & Faber, offering short courses, a novel-writing program, and poetry workshops in London and online. It is comparable in offering breadth and faculty-of-published-authors positioning, though UK-focused and with publisher backing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schrijversvakschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Schrijversvakschool