Mustafa Kutlu was born on March 6, 1947, in Kuruçay, a township in the Ilıç district of Erzincan. He was the third child of Nahiye Director Nurettin Bey and Sulhiye Hanım. Known in Turkish literature as a storyteller, novelist, publisher, essayist, screenwriter, travel writer, sports columnist, journalist, painter, and teacher, Kutlu became a prominent figure in the New Literature movement within the Anatolia-Ottoman-Turkey framework from the last quarter of the 20th century onward. His works often depict the struggles of Anatolian people, social transformation processes, and the conflict between tradition and modernity, distinguished by his simple and fluent style.

Early Life and Education

Kutlu's childhood was spent in various cities due to his father’s profession. In 1953, upon Nurettin Bey’s retirement, the family settled in Erzincan. He completed his primary, secondary, and high school education there, graduating from Erzincan High School in 1964. The loss of his father during his middle school years left a deep mark on his life. After high school, he initially planned to study at the Fine Arts Academy in Istanbul to become a painter but later enrolled in Atatürk University’s Department of Turkish Language and Literature in Erzurum. He graduated in 1968, having been immersed in an environment rich in art and literature. Professor Ioanna Kuçuradi and two friends encouraged him to organize an art exhibition at Erzurum Public Education Hall. He developed his literary knowledge under the mentorship of scholars such as Orhan Okay, Kaya Bilgegil, Selahattin Olcay, Niyazi Akı, Haluk İpekten, Hüseyin Ayan, Bilge Seyidoğlu, and Muhan Bali. A pivotal moment in his literary career was meeting Ezel Erverdi, the editor-in-chief of the Hareket magazine, in Orhan Okay’s office.

Beginning of Literary and Publishing Career

Kutlu entered the literary world in 1968 when his drawing appeared on the cover of the 28th issue of Fikir ve Sanatta Hareket magazine. The following issue, in May 1968, published his first short story, "O." His university graduation thesis, "Plastic Elements in Sait Faik," was published by Hareket Publishing in 1968 under the title The Story World of Sait Faik. At Orhan Okay’s suggestion, he wrote a study on Sabahattin Ali, published in 1972 by the same publisher. In 1969, he married Sevgi Hanım, with whom he had two children. That same year, he was appointed as a literature teacher at Tunceli High School (1969-1972) and later taught at Istanbul Vefa Poyraz High School (1972-1974). In 1974, he left teaching to work at Dergâh Publishing, marking a crucial shift in his literary career.

Writing for Fikir ve Sanatta Hareket magazine, Kutlu became its editorial director from 1979 to 1982. His work also appeared in Adımlar, Hisar, Türk Edebiyatı, Düşünce, and Yönelişler magazines. From 1976, he contributed to the Turkish Language and Literature Encyclopedia and eventually took over as its editor-in-chief. From 1990 until January 2016, he served as the general editor of Dergâh magazine.

Literary Career and Style

Mustafa Kutlu's works focus on the daily lives of Anatolian people, social change, and the struggles of modernization. His first story collections, Ortadaki Adam (1970) and Gönül İşi (1974), reflect a romanticized view of Anatolia, influenced by Nurettin Topçu. In Yokuşa Akan Sular (1979), he developed a "river story" style inspired by classical Eastern narratives. This work presents a unique structure addressing industrialization and migration. Yoksulluk İçimizde (1981) explores the effects of capitalism through a Sufi-Islamic perspective and won the Turkish Writers' Union Storybook Award. Ya Tahammül Ya Sefer (1983), Bu Böyledir (1987), and Sır (1990) continued his "river story" approach, deepening his use of symbolism and Sufi themes.

In the 2000s, Kutlu transitioned to writing longer stories with Uzun Hikâye, which won the Turkish Writers' Union Language Award and was adapted into a film by Osman Sınav. His long-form narratives explore social change through the individual-society relationship, employing a simple, fluid style rooted in everyday language. His stories often revolve around villages, towns, childhood, love, and migration, successfully bridging modern and traditional elements.

Other Works and Contributions

Beyond storytelling, Kutlu has written screenplays, adapting Sleep by Orhan Kemal and Huzur by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, as well as his works such as Gönül İşi, Kapıları Açmak, Uzun Hikâye, and Mavi Kuş. He began writing columns for Yeni Şafak in 1995, covering essays and sports articles. He also produced television programs such as Monday Stories on TRT2, Istanbul Dervish Lodges on Kanal 7, and The Story of a Book: Poetry in the Museum on TRT-1. His Istanbul-themed essays were published as A Bunch of Istanbul (1992) and City Letters (1993), focusing on topics like Istanbul, poverty, and Sufism.

Currently residing in Istanbul, Kutlu continues to write for Yeni Şafak and Dergâh. He has played a significant role in shaping Turkish storytelling, influencing younger writers like Nazan Bekiroğlu and Cihan Aktaş.

Awards

Kutlu received the Turkish Writers' Union Storybook Award in 1981 and 1983 and the Language Award in 2000.

Books

• Sait Faik’in Hikâye Dünyası (Sait Faik’s Story World) (Hareket Yayınları, 1968) - Study
• Ortadaki Adam (The Man in the Middle) (Hareket Yayınları, 1970) - Story
• Sabahattin Ali (Sabahattin Ali) (Hareket Yayınları, 1972) - Study
• Gönül İşi (A Matter of the Heart) (Hareket Yayınları, 1974) - Story
• Yokuşa Akan Sular (Waters Flowing Uphill) (Dergâh Yayınları, 1979) - Story
• Yoksulluk İçimizde (Poverty Within Us) (Dergâh Yayınları, 1981) - Story
• Ya Tahammül Ya Sefer (Either Endurance or Journey) (Dergâh Yayınları, 1983) - Story
• Bu Böyledir (This Is How It Is) (Dergâh Yayınları, 1987) - Story
• Sır (The Secret) (Dergâh Yayınları, 1990) - Story
• Arkakapak Yazıları (Back Cover Writings) (Dergâh Yayınları, 1995) - Story
• Şehir Mektupları (City Letters) (Dergâh Yayınları, 1995) - Essay
• Hüzün ve Tesadüf (Melancholy and Coincidence) (Dergâh Yayınları, 1999) - Story
• Akasya ve Mandolin (Acacia and Mandolin) (Dergâh Yayınları, 1999) - Essay
• Uzun Hikâye (The Long Story) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2000) - Story
• Beyhude Ömrüm (My Futile Life) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2001) - Story
• Mavi Kuş (Blue Bird) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2002) - Story
• Tufandan Önce (Before the Flood) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2003) - Story
• Rüzgârlı Pazar (Windy Market) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2004) - Story
• Yoksulluk Kitabı (The Book of Poverty) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2004) - Essay
• Yıldız Tozu (Stardust) (Erdem Yayınları, 2004) - Children’s Book
• Chef (Chef) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2005) - Story
• Menekşeli Mektup (Violet Letter) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2006) - Story
• Kapıları Açmak (Opening the Doors) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2007) - Story
• Huzursuz Bacak (Restless Leg) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2008) - Story
• Tahir Sami Bey’in Özel Hayatı (The Private Life of Tahir Sami Bey) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2009) - Story
• Zafer Yahut Hiç (Victory or Nothing) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2010) - Story
• Hayat Güzeldir (Life Is Beautiful) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2011) - Story
• Anadolu Yakası (Anatolian Side) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2012) - Story
• Sıradışı Bir Ödül Töreni (An Extraordinary Award Ceremony) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2013) - Story
• Nur (Nur) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2014) - Story
• Vatan Yahut İnternet (Homeland or Internet) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2014) - Essay
• Dem Bu Demdir (This Moment Is the Moment) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2014) - Essay
• Tirende Bir Keman (A Violin on the Train) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2015) - Story
• Hesap Günü (Judgment Day) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2015) - Story
• Vitrinde Olmak (Being on Display) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2015) - Essay
• İyiler Ölmez (The Good Don’t Die) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2016) - Story
• Tarla Kuşunun Sesi (The Voice of the Field Bird) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2018) - Story
• İlmihal Yahut Arzuhal (Catechism or Petition) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2018) - Essay
• Fırtınayı Kucaklamak (Embracing the Storm) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2019) - Essay
• Kalbin Sesi ile Toprağa Dönüş (Return to the Soil with the Voice of the Heart) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2020) - Essay
• Akıntıya Karşı (Against the Current) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2021) - Essay
• Selâm Olsun (Greetings) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2021) - Essay
• Topkapı’dan Topkapı’ya (From Topkapı to Topkapı) (Dergâh Yayınları, 2021) - Travel