Özcan Ünlü was born on September 10, 1968, in Gökömer Village, Ordu, Turkey. He completed his primary and middle school education in Ordu, and his high school education at the Anatolian Maritime Vocational High School in Istanbul. He later pursued studies in music and business administration.
In 1986, he began working as an editor at Dergâh Publishing, where he also served as a page editor and editor for the İstanbul Postası newspaper under the same publishing house. He was among the founding teams of literary magazines such as Kardelen, Ay Vakti, Kültür Dünyası, and Beyaz Sanat. His first poems and short stories were published in Maveramagazine in 1985.
In 1993, he began writing for Türkiye newspaper, where he worked as a culture and arts correspondent, editor, and columnist. He produced the television program Yansımalar for TGRT. Over the years, he worked as a consultant and editor for publishing houses including Hayat, Ders Kitapları, Parıltı, Beyaz Balina, Güçlü, and Çıra.
From 2008 to 2010, he served as Managing Editor at Tercüman-Bugün newspaper, and from 2010 to 2013, he was Managing Editor, Publishing Coordinator, and columnist at Yeni Şafak newspaper. During this period, he also prepared and hosted the television programs Halkın Seçimi and Tutanak on TV NET.
In 2013, he became the Coordinator of Copywriters at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. That same year, he was appointed Director of Broadcasting at TRT TÜRK, where he produced and hosted the weekly program 11 Kahvesi, which aired for 165 episodes. He also hosted and served as consultant for Herkes Okur, a 13-episode program broadcast on TRT BELGESEL. Together with poet Adem Turan, he toured various cities in Turkey with Şiirin Atlıları (“The Horsemen of Poetry”), an event series featuring master poets of contemporary Turkish literature.
He served as a board member and director of the Turkish Literature Foundation, an institution founded by literary and intellectual figures such as Ahmet Kabaklı, Necip Fazıl Kısakürek, and Cemil Meriç. As part of the Turkish Ministry of National Education’s “Authors in Schools” project, he visited schools across Turkey, engaging students in conversations on poetry, literature, and life. He also held positions as General Director of Avrasya Bir Foundation / ASAM and as an Advisor to the Istanbul Exporters’ Association Board of Directors.
His poems and articles have been published in numerous literary journals, including Mavera, Türk Edebiyatı, Yedi İklim, Hece, Bir Nokta, Bizim Külliye, Kültür Dünyası, Ay Vakti, Kardelen, Yitik Düşler, Kum Yazıları, Kalem ve Onur, Eğitim ve Bilim, Lamure, Kişisel Gelişim, Yesevi, Sarmaşık, Cemre, Endülüs, Dil ve Edebiyat, Karabatak, Muhit, and Edebiyat Ortamı.
Books:
Benden Önce – Poetry
Aşk Olur – Poetry
Korkuya Türkü – Poetry
Besbelli Yalnızlık – Essays
Aşk Günlüğü – Novel
Savaşa Direnen Şiirler – Anthology
Yüz Yıllık Türk Şiir Atlası (2 vols.) – Anthology
Ünlü Şairlerin En Güzel Aşk Şiirleri – Anthology
Ateş Güzeli – Poetry
Teslimiyet – Poetry
Aynaya Bakınca Söylenen – Essays
İstanbul Aşkı – Essays
Baba Anneme Bağırma – Novel
Herşeybirdenbire – Poetry
Ahiret Kumbarası – Essays
Kalbin Ne Marka – Essays
Bir Düş Yolcusu Nurettin Durman – Biography
Üstad ve Ağaç Mecmuası – Literary Study
Hiç Değilse Bugün – Poetry
Hüzün Boşluğu – Poetry
Benim Kayıp Şairlerim – Essays
Acele Cevap Beklerim (with Şakir Kurtulmuş) – Essays
Otuzüç Mesel – Poetry
Diriliş Devrinin Ruh Mimarları – Compiled Works
Doğumunun 100. Yılında Fethi Gemuhluoğlu – Biography