In 1942 he adopted the name Orhan Kemal when writing stories and poems in Yürüyüş. He found fame through stories in Varlık in 1944, his first collection of short stories Ekmek Kavgası, and first novel Baba Evi, was published in 1949.
In 1942, he adopted the pen name Orhan Kemal for his writing in Yürüyüş. He achieved recognition through stories published in Varlık in 1944, his debut short story collection Ekmek Kavgası, and his first novel Baba Evi was released in 1949.