Working Windmill |Interview #2 with Lex Besecker

Lex Besecker worked on Issue #6 of Windmill.

Sabrina: Had you heard of Windmill prior to taking the class internship?

Lex: Yes, I did. I learned about it during my first semester at Hofstra. I heard about it both from Kelly and other students in the Publishing Studies program. 

S: Nice. See, I had never before looking it up when I was registering for classes. 

What were you looking forward to when you started working on your issue of Windmill?

L: Yes!! I knew that working on Windmill would be an amazing opportunity to work with Kelly, as well as be a great building block of my resume. I’ve leveraged my time at Windmill heavily as I have been job hunting post-graduation. 

S: Awesome. I’m sure Kelly loved your enthusiasm.

What was your favorite part of Windmill? 

L: That’s a really hard question to answer because there are so many aspects about it that I really loved. I think, at the end of the day, I treasure the fact that I was able to make Windmill whatever I wanted it to be. I never felt creatively stifled while working with my fellow editorial board; in fact, the collaboration with them spurred my creativity. Because of my personal interests, I was able to extend my time on Windmill into the following spring semester. 

S: Oh cool. So you did the Windmill lab? I tried doing book design, but I am not an InDesign person. I am fortunate to have a great editorial board as well. We fed off of each other a lot and I remember one of my favorite moments so far was when Kelly had to leave early and we all hung out in the classroom talking about what we wanted our issue to be and what themes and tone we wanted to take. 

L: I think I may have been the first person to take the Windmill lab, but before there was an official Windmill lab. I worked on the Squarespace website and redesigned it. I also planned on creating a style guide for the website, but that never happened (oops!). Someday I would like to make one, though. I also loved how my editorial board was able to feed off each other. We had some great conversations and inside jokes. 

S: That is definitely going to be the same for us!

Was there anything about Windmill that you did not like, or was it all great for you?

L: I disliked how long it took for our issue to be published. I graduated in May 2023, and it was September 2023 when I finally got to hold the physical copy of Issue 6 in my hands. Also, I wish the editorial board had a weekly or bi-weekly check-in meeting to see how the publishing process was moving along. I think that could’ve been a great learning opportunity for us, and it would have allowed us to continue working on it, alleviating Kelly of some of the burden with final proofing and the like. 

S: That all makes sense. We also got [a copy of] Issue 6 when we started the semester. It came out really well by the way! For the editorial board and I, I think the biggest issue so far is that we are officially on a time crunch to get everything done before the end of the semester, so that is a little stressful. 

L: Agreed! The end of the semester was SO stressful trying to get everything done. If the publishing process is actually going to take a full calendar year, I definitely think that some of the work could be moved to the spring and the class be a two semester course. (But that’s just me. I just really love Windmill. And Kelly.)

S: I agree that it maybe should be a two semester course especially if you are doing the editing in one semester and the design in the other (even though I am awful at it). This way you get the whole publishing experience. 

Looking back on your time with Windmill, what did you learn from this experience that is valuable for your job search?

L: If you really have a passion for something and you see something that can be improved: jump right in. Or at the very least, ask. I try to remind myself, “If you don’t ask, the answer is automatically ‘no.’” Having the courage to ask can lead to so many open doors. Additionally, during my time at Windmill, I really learned how to work collaboratively and professionally. Those are two skills you will always need in the workforce. 

S: I definitely agree with your idea that not asking means you will never know for certain if something is possible (does that make sense [yes!]). 

Would you say that this is the advice you would give someone who wants to try and make it in the publishing industry? 

L: This advice will be counterintuitive, but look outside the publishing industry. There are so many paths you can take with your English degree and your knowledge of the publishing industry. Unfortunately, the publishing industry is really competitive and centered in NYC. I discovered that I wanted to move out of NYC, and I knew working in the industry would be really difficult if I left. However, there are so many other opportunities outside of traditional publishing. For a while, I looked at academic publishing and smaller presses; I think the Big 5 publishing houses are overhyped (respectfully). 

S: I get what you mean. In a lot of classes ,it is said that there is a high burnout and a lot of people are overworked and undervalued, and I feel like that’s especially true with companies like the Big 5 because they know that so many people want to work there that if one person leaves they can be replaced. Have you had any luck with smaller presses?

L: Additionally, I really value a true life/work balance and my love of reading. I learned that if I went into the publishing industry, I would probably work a million hours for low pay and probably lose my love of reading. I did intern for a small nonprofit press based in Seattle, WA, in 2021; I did some marketing work for them, but I wish I could have done more and a variety of things. 

S: That makes sense. The one good thing I would say about some of the Big 5 is that their internships place you in different sections throughout the time there so you get a feel for what you like and do not like.

Honestly, losing my love of reading is one of my biggest fears about me possibly joining this  industry. I guess that is something I will have to see should I get a job in the publishing industry. 

L: Like I said, look outside the industry! There’s a whole world out there. I’ve found myself focusing on educational nonprofits. I think it’s important to find work someplace where you are passionate about, or at least interested in, the mission of your employer. I’m passionate about books and writing, and that lends itself well to education in a multitude of ways. 

S: I see what you mean. I have not given much thought to education but it is definitely something to think about!