The primary mission of the Faulkner Society is two-fold:
- To provide realistic assistance and continuing education for writers of all ages in improving their work, getting manuscripts published, and helping in the promotion of debut works by writers we work with in our programs;
- To provide high quality literary programming combined with the unique cuisine and music of New Orleans for the general public of our region and our visitors.
Secondary goals are to help preserve the storytelling heritage of the region and call positive national attention to New Orleans as an intellectually and culturally stimulating destination.
Membership Levels and Benefits
Student Membership: $10.00
Includes one general public discussion pass to the Faulkner Festival, September 26-29; passes to all Meet the Author events.
Individual Adult Membership: $50.00
Includes one general public discussion pass to the Faulkner Festival, September 26-29 and passes to all Meet the Author events.
Special Friend Membership: $175.00
Includes one invitation to Merry, Merry in May; one member pass to Meet the Author events; one member pass to the Faulkner Festival September 26-29, good for all general public discussion sessions; and one invitation to a private patrons’ party on William Faulkner’s birthday, September 25th.
Patron Membership: $500.00
Includes two invitations to Merry, Merry in May and two member passes for the
Faulkner Festival September 26-29, good for all general public discussion sessions; two
invitations to a private patron party on William Faulkner’s birthday, September 25th; and
two member passes for all Meet the Author events.
Sustaining Membership: $1,000.00
Includes two invitations each to Merry, Merry in May and to Happy Birthday, Mr.
Faulkner; two members passes for the Faulkner Festival, good for all general public
discussion sessions; and an invitation for two to a private patrons’ party September 25th,
William Faulkner’s birthday.
Sponsor Membership: $1,500.00
Includes four invitations each to Merry, Merry in May and Happy Birthday, Mr. Faulkner;
four discussion passes for the Faulkner Festival, good for all general public discussion
sessions; and a complimentary invitation for two to a private patrons’ party on
September 25th, William Faulkner’s Birthday.
Faulkner Club membership: $2,500.00 and Up.
Includes six invitations each to Merry, Merry in May and Happy Birthday, Mr. Faulkner;
six discussion passes for the Faulkner Festival, good for all general public discussion
sessions; and a complimentary invitation for two to a private patrons’ party on
September 25th, William Faulkner’s Birthday.
More Perks
All Membership donors will be listed at their levels in the program of the annual festival
and on our web site. Donations of $1,000 or more will be recognized additionally as
underwriters for a specific event of the festival. Sponsors of prizes for the Society’s
international literary talent search, The William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative
Writing Competition, will have the same membership benefits as the comparable
membership donations. Writers wishing to participate in Faulkner Festival workshop
sessions and manuscript critiques by professional literary agents and editors may
inquire about writer membership packages at: [email protected] or, after April 21st at
Faulknersociety.org.
Membership Statistics
Current membership is approximately 3,000, including writers, academics and other professionals who support Society goals and occasionally contribute time and talent or money to the organization. Active members who consistently contribute time, talent, cash or in-kind services/products total about 1,500.
The Society has members in every American state as well as Australia, Canada, England, France and Japan. Its members are about equally divided between men and women and ranging in age from 15 to 92. Membership encompasses every profession and is open to all regardless of ethnic origin, race, religion or political persuasion.
The Society’s success with its major projects, such as:
- the international William Faulkner – William Creative Writing Competition
- the literary journal, The Double Dealer
- and its educational outreach efforts
is due entirely to the quality of its active membership, its board and its Advisory Council, all heavily weighted with dedicated professional men and women and volunteer activists. We could not produce the high quality Society literature we produce, for instance, without the pro bono contributions of professional writers, public relations and advertising personnel, graphic designers, typesetters, printers, journalists, attorneys and teachers, who are important factions in our support network.
The Society is governed by a small Executive Board and a larger Advisory Council. Members of the Executive Board include founding director Rosemary James, along with Executive Board Chairman Emeritus Anne Simms Pincus, our recently named new Co-Chairmen, Dr. E. Quinn Peeper and Attorney Angela Bowlin. Other Directors attorney and legal profession headhunter Michael Harold, publisher Susan Schadt, and artist Jana Napoli. Members of the Advisory Council are community leaders and patrons of the arts who give the Society the benefit of their wisdom, experience, and talent in such areas as revenue development, business organization, project planning, and event coordination. These advisors currently include Bertie Deming Smith, Garner and Permele Robinson, Devereaux Bell, Joanne Sealy, Jack Davis, Lolis Eric Elie, Randy Fertel, Rob Florence, Ronald Pincus, Josephine Sacabo, Mona Lisa Saloy, David Speights, Jeff Kleinman, Shari Jean Stauch, Judith “Jude” Swenson, Moira Crone, Rodger Kamenetz, George Bishop, Michael Wilkinson, and Dalt Wonk.
Planning is done by the Executive Board and key members of the Advisory Council and the committee chairs for Happy Birthday, Mr. Faulkner! and the annual fundraisers, Merry, Merry in May and Faulkner for All! Input is solicited from active members. Primary planning is done in quarterly sessions. Projects are presented in concept to the Executive Board for approval and/or suggested changes or refinements. The Executive Board and Advisory Council meet as necessary to evaluate projects at their conclusion. Basically, we consider ourselves successful if we meet an established goal. So far, we are meeting all of the goals established at founding. Ultimately, of course, as a non-profit organization recognized in the 501 (c) (3) category by the IRS, the Society is accountable to the Internal Revenue Service from the standpoint of fiscal integrity. Professional assistance is provided pro bono for appropriate filings.
The Executive Board of Directors is the decision-making body responsible for recording revenues and expenses, filing tax returns and reports, dispersing funds, and providing continuity of management. Executive Board membership is available to interested men and women who contribute in excess of $2,500 per year in cash and documented in-kind goods or services and who are nominated for board membership by founding directors. The Executive Board meets as needed with members of the Advisory Council for planning sessions.
Advisory Council membership is available to men and women who contribute in excess of $1,000 per year in cash or in-kind goods or services. The Advisory Council was created for men and women with experience in business, the arts and volunteer activism, men and women who want to participate in a leadership role but on a less demanding basis than the Executive Board. Members of the Council are nominated by founding directors, who received suggestions for nominations from all board members.
Writers Advisory Council: Recently, the Society organized the Writers Advisory Council to assist the Society in its literary and educational projects. This group meets with Society administrators as often as necessary to assist with programming of such projects as The William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition, and Happy Birthday, Mr. Faulkner! Membership is by invitation of the Executive Board. Members include writers, editors, and agents, from various areas of the country.
The Mississippi Committee: The Society also receives advice and patronage from arts and education activists in Faulkner’s native state, Mississippi. Membership on the committee is by invitation from the Society. Past chairs of this committee have included Lynn Crosby Gammill of Picayune and Hattiesburg, Dr. Robert Barnes and Dr. Bettina Barnes of Natchez, Peyton Prospere and the Hon. Grady Jolly of Jackson. Recent chair has been Elizabeth Simms Hise of Jackson, who has retired for
medical reasons. The board is making a search for a new Mississippi Chair.