While still in senior high school he was already writing poetry; the poems were published in local magazines such as Kuncung and Kartini.

He was later critical of the process, stating that the jury generally did not properly understand the works they were selecting and at times seemed to act randomly.

Short story writer Seno Gumira Ajidarma, a judge on the panel, described the anthology as showing great achievement.

[5] In 2010 Dewanto released a poetry anthology entitled Buli-Buli Lima Kaki (Jars with Five Feet).

[6][2] In 2012 Dewanto played the Archbishop of Semarang Albertus Soegijapranata in the biopic Soegija, directed by Garin Nugroho.