No roadmap. No job offers. Just a keyboard, an idea, and the will to create my own future.

Introduction

Hi, I’m James Dominic Liao. I’m from the Philippines, and I graduated with a degree in Business Administration from De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde in Malate, Manila. After graduating, I spent years searching for work — without much success. But instead of giving up, I decided to keep learning and start building on what I enjoy. I taught myself how to code — starting with basic HTML and CSS, and later trying out Python. I’m still a beginner, but I love experimenting and creating things on my own. At the same time, I started writing fiction. I didn’t expect it at first, but it turns out I have a knack for storytelling. That passion led me to complete my first book, which I now share online. This blog is part of my journey — not just as a writer or coder, but as someone building a life through creativity, self-learning, and small steps forward.

My Journey into Programming

In 2022, the year I graduated, I began learning how to program while applying for jobs. Out of curiosity, I stumbled upon YouTube videos with titles like “How to Build Your Own Website” and “Learn HTML for Beginners.” I followed along with the tutorials, step-by-step. The instructor taught HTML first, followed by CSS. After each lesson, there were small exercises that helped apply what I had just learned. I did those, too. As I made progress, I shared what I had created with my parents. They were impressed and said, “Ang galing mo jan,” which translates to “You’re really good at that!” Their encouragement inspired me to keep going. Although I didn’t finish the entire video course, I continued practicing on my own. Eventually, I coded my first website — by myself — and hosted it using GitHub Pages. I launched the site a few years later, and now, in 2025, it’s live. That website became my Portfolio and Resume Website. Later that same year, I built several more static websites, each one a reflection of my growing skill and interest in front-end web development. They are all linked within my portfolio. If you’re curious or would like to take a look, I’ll drop the link below:
James Website

From Short Stories to a Full Manuscript: How I Found My Voice as a Writer

Before I ever wrote a line of code, I was already writing stories. Back in high school, I enjoyed creating short, one-page fictional pieces — simple stories that captured emotions or ideas in a few paragraphs. One day, an English teacher read one of my stories and called it a beautiful piece. That moment stuck with me. It’s something I still carry every time I sit down to write. In 2022 — the year I graduated — I started writing again. At first, it was just for fun, like before. But the more I wrote, the more the story grew. What started as a simple idea slowly turned into something bigger — a full-length manuscript. Eventually, I decided to treat it like a real book. It’s not perfect, and I’m still learning. My writing doesn’t follow the traditional style of many published novels. It’s simpler — easier on the eyes and meant to be accessible. I prefer to keep things readable, without long, heavy blocks of text. It might not be conventional, but it reflects how I think and write. If you’re curious to read it, I’ll be sharing the raw manuscript online — completely free. It’s not perfect (you’ll probably spot a few errors), but it’s a full version of the story I poured my time and creativity into. Think of it as a rough diamond.

The Road Ahead: My Vision for the Future

Where do I go from here? I plan to keep on improving and practicing my skills — to become better at what I do best: writing and coding. I want to create more than just what I’ve done before — not just static websites or a raw manuscript — but full-fledged, functional projects and polished books. For coding, I aim to move beyond the basics. I want to learn more about both front-end and back-end development, and eventually become a full-stack developer — someone you might even hire one day. I hope to build websites that go beyond being a portfolio, like platforms that can handle payments, host user comments, or even create meaningful interactions between people around the world. It’s a big vision, but it’s one I’m excited about. For writing, my goal is to take my raw manuscript and transform it into a professionally edited, published book — one that’s accessible and affordable to everyone who wants to read it. Errors? Hopefully gone. Impact? Even greater. As for myself — this entire journey feels like a giant leap of faith into the unknown, but I’m taking it one step at a time. Until next time, stay tuned for more.

Conclusion: Building a Life Through Creativity

Looking back, my journey didn’t start with a clear roadmap. It began with uncertainty — after graduation, job searching without success, and lots of questions about where I was headed. But I chose to lean into learning, creating, and expressing myself. From teaching myself to code, to building my first portfolio website, to writing my first manuscript and now turning it into a published book — I’ve learned that growth comes from trying, failing, and pushing forward anyway. This blog isn’t just a chronicle of my journey. It’s a reminder — to myself and maybe even to you — that it’s okay to start small. That passion and consistency matter more than perfection. That there’s room to explore your creativity while making progress in your own way. And whether you’re here to read stories, check out my code projects, or just follow along for inspiration — thank you. I’m excited to keep building, learning, and sharing this journey with you. Until then, keep creating, keep growing, and never stop believing that your story matters, too.