He wrote The Faerie Queene with pens without centre inserts (7)
I believe the answer is:
spenser
'he wrote the faerie queene' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'pens without centre inserts' is the wordplay.
'without' is an insertion indicator (some letters go outside or 'without' others).
'centre' indicates the central letters.
The middle letters of 'inserts' are 'ser'.
'pens' inserted inside 'ser' is 'SPENSER'.
'with' is the link.
(Other definitions for spenser that I've seen before include "Old English poet" , "Author of "The Faerie Queen", d. 1599" , "Edmund -, Eng. poet" , "He wrote" , "Edmund, 16th century poet" .)