Defining Success and Sustaining the Work

with Arleta Little

Session 4 of Go Back & Fetch It shifted focus from craft to sustainability, inviting fellows to consider how to continue writing over time. Led by author and educator Arleta Little, the session centered on funding opportunities, and the practical realities of building a life as a writer.

Arleta Little is a poet, writer and has worked for nearly 30 years in nonprofit organizations and philanthropy in Minnesota. She is the author of the poetry book, Black Swallowtail, which pairs her work with paintings by visual artist Ta-coumba T. Aiken. Her poems and essays have appeared in multiple journals and publications including We Are Meant to Rise: Voices for Justice from Minneapolis to the World, Blues Vision: African American Writing From Minnesota, Water~Stone Review, Calyx, and more. She is a co-author along with Josie Johnson and Carolyn Holbrook of Hope in the Struggle: A Memoir. Little was the first Executive Director of the Givens Foundation for African American Literature. She currently serves as the Executive & Artistic Director for The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis.

Little framed the conversation with a question: What does success as a writer look like for you? The question lingered, encouraging participants to reflect on their own definitions of success beyond publication or recognition.

The session carried a distinct energy: focused and studious, yet underlined by a sense of discovery. Little’s approach blended information with strategy, offering insight into the systems that support creative work while maintaining an accessible, almost conversational tone. It felt less like being instructed and more like being let in on something, an introduction to pathways that are often difficult to navigate without guidance.

A central focus of the session was grant funding and artist residencies as viable avenues for sustaining creative practice. Little spoke in depth about how writers can pursue and utilize these opportunities, demystifying aspects of the process that are often unclear to emerging artists. Resources such as Creative Capital and Artist Communities were shared as starting points, alongside practical considerations including the often-overlooked reality that grant awards are taxable income.

The session served as a grounding moment, bridging the space between creative exploration and real-world application.