Owen expands horizons as author, self-publisher


Phil Owen of Monticello has had seven books published, most through Amazon’s KDP service. Writing, for Owen, is healing and allows him to share his family’s stories with the masses. He talked about self-publishing over the weekend to visitors at the Monticello Public Library. (Photo by Kim Brooks)
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     “Writing is therapeutic and healing, at least it was for me.”

     Phil Owen of Monticello wrote the first three out of his seven books after major life events: the loss of his father, the loss of his mother, and the more recent loss of his wife, LaVonne, last June.

     Owen presented a program at the Monticello Public Library on June 30 about how to self-publish books online.

     But before that, he shared his history as an author, a hobby and interest that he never saw coming.

     “English was my least favorite subject in grade school,” he said. Owen admitted writing an essay for school was a struggle for him.

     “I make no claim to be an author or writer now,” he said. “My work is what it is.”

     Having worked at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids for many years, Owen said he would pen several memos, which forced him to gain the necessary skills to do so.

     “Little by little I got used to the idea,” he said.

     Owen said writing of any form is “relaxing, thought provoking, and empowering.” He merely wants to help and encourage others to get the same satisfaction as he does out of writing, and hopefully publishing content.

     Owen seriously started writing for others in the early 1980s when he gathered his own memories of growing up on the farm. He wrote about 20 pages and came to the Monticello Express to have it self-printed, meaning printed and bound.

     “I had several copies made for my kids,” he said. “Some of them thought it was interesting.”

     That book is titled “My Small World.”

     From there, in 1987, Owen’s father passed away. It wasn’t too long after that Owen found his parents’ scrapbook and photos and written memories.

     “I treasured that,” he said. “It was a real benefit.”

     From that scrapbook, Owen transcribed the written memories and turned them into a book titled “A Lifetime of Stories and Poems.”

     Owen had 100 copies printed, against at the Express, and distributed them here and there.

     In 2007, his mother passed away. Before she passed, she gave Owen’s brother several of her personal diaries, which didn’t surface until after her passing.

     When Owen got his hands on them, he said her stories really filled in many of the holes about his parents’ courtship and early-married life.

     “They met each other because they lived across the road,” he said. Owen said that was always a mystery. “Those diaries were the missing pieces of the puzzle.”

     Those diaries inspired him to write his third book, “Mother’s Journal: Friendship and Courtship Across the Road.”

     After having his work printed at the Express, Owen discovered self-publishing through Amazon online. The free service not only pays writers their royalties, but assists in every step along the way. Owen has had six books published through Amazon either as an eBook or small paperback.

     “People asked for more copies,” Owen said as to why he chose to self-publish. He said it was easier to direct people to Amazon to order copies themselves versus mailing them out on his own.

     His interest in Amazon stems from a gift his son, Jeff, gave him at Christmas: a Kindle. Owen started a Kindle account to download eBooks, but also discovered KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).

     Owen said self-publishing allows authors to maintain their own voice, versus going through an editor or publishing company. “I looked up print shop options,” he said. Still, KDP was his best bet.

     “I am not doing this to make or save money,” Owen said. In the past seven or eight years, he shared he’s only made a few hundred dollars on selling his books online.

     “First and foremost, I want people to learn something,” he added. As a lifelong learner, Owen said he’s always learning new trades that are useful in life. “I don’t like to sit around; I like a good project.”

     In 2017, his wife passed, and that winter, Owen took to his computer again to compile her memories. While LaVonne started researching her family history before her death, Owen took it a step further.

     “I started researching a lot and validated a lot of family legends,” he said. “A lot can be gained by researching. I have had as much fun out of that than anything.” Owen said researching has led to other book ideas as well.

     Just this February, Owen had “My Cousins: LaVonne Owen Like and Memories” published.

     Aside from family memories and family/local history, Owen’s other books include topics of education, small business planning and spirituality.

     He’s even brought his granddaughter into the mix to help proofread his work before it’s uploaded and picked apart by Amazon. Owen said it’s fun involving family, different generations, into his hobby and new trade. He encourages others to branch out and have others read your work.

     While visiting with those in attendance at his program at the Monticello library, Owen urged people to write about what they love. “Always remember where you came from,” he said. “You can’t write what you don’t know.”

     For Owen, while writing has been therapeutic, it has also boosted his confidence. He said when sharing your life with people through writing, you have to learn to trust others.

 

     He said anyone could become a writer. All you need is a #2 pencil and a piece of paper. “You don’t have an excuse,” he said.

     Proceeds from his books Owen sold at the library over the weekend were donated to the Friends of the Library.

 

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