text: Willy Corsari (1897–1998), novelist, actress and composer
  Johan Fabricius (1899–1981), novelist, journalist and painter
  Geert Groote (1340–1384)
  Arnon Grünberg (born 1971)
  Hella Haasse (1918–2011), novelist
  Jan de Hartog (1914–2002), novelist and playwright
  Herman Heijermans (1864–1924)
  Willem Frederik Hermans (1921–1995), novelist and physical geographer
  Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft (1581–1647)
  Constantijn Huygens (1596–1687)
  Gerrit Krol (1934–2013), novelist, poet
  Hendrik Willem van Loon (1882–1944)
  Geert Mak (born 1946), writer of history books
  Harry Mulisch (1927–2010), novelist
  Multatuli (1820–1887), novelist
  Nescio (1882–1961)
  Cees Nooteboom (born 1933), novelist
  Willem Oltmans (1925–2004), journalist
  Gerard Reve (1923–2006), novelist
  Tjalie Robinson (1911–1974)
  Annie M.G. Schmidt (1911–1995), children's writer
  Philip Slier (1923–1943)
  Joost van den Vondel (1587–1679), poet and playwright
  Anne de Vries (1904–1964), novelist
  Janwillem van de Wetering (1931–2008), novelist
  Willy Wielek-Berg (1919–2004) film critic, writer, columnist
  Jan Wolkers (1925–2007)
  Exploration
  Willem Barentsz (c. 1550–1597), several expeditions to Arctic waters; discovered Spitsbergen
  Abraham Blauvelt (1601–1663), Central America
  Adriaen Block (1567–1627), New Netherland
  Hendrik Brouwer (1580–1643), discovered the Roaring Forties
  Olivier Brunel (c. 1540–1585), tried to find a passage around Siberia to China
  Jan Carstenszoon (1600–1700), New Guinea coast, navigated the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1623
  Robert Jacob Gordon (1743–1795), extensively traveled South Africa in the service of the Dutch East India Company