His writing career began when Philippine Graphic published his story 'Noon and Summer' written in 1961.
At age 19, he received an invitation to - and a virtual writing fellowship at - the first, 1962, Silliman National Writers Summer Workshop in Dumaguete that included as fellows Wilfrido D. Nolledo, Jose Lansang Jr. and Wilfredo Pascua Sanchez - as well as mentors Nick Joaquin, Franz Arcellana and Edilberto Tiempo and Edith Tiempo.
Aquino wrote his dissertation under Edith Tiempo, entitled Poetry as Mythos: The Fallacy of the Rational Heritage and earned his Ph.D. at Silliman University, where he has been teaching creative writing and literature since 1981.
He has received the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas for Lifetime Achievement from the 'Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas' (Writers' Union of the Philippines or UMPIL) in 1997.
Cesar Ruiz Aquino's publications include: 'Chronicles of Suspicion' (short fiction and nonfiction, from Kalikasan Press in 1988).