A Glimpse into My Next Chapter (Upcoming Book)

Every story has a beginning—and so does every storyteller. While readers often dive into a book to get lost in its plot and characters, few know the spark that set the story in motion. Today, I’d like to share the real-life moment that inspired me to write a moment that changed everything.

A portfolio is any method used to showcase your best work. No matter the industry, fashion, architecture, or design, there are tons of ways to display your work in order to get a new job or expand your audience or customers.

The Moment It All Started

Depending on the type of design work that you do, there are different portfolio formats that will be best suited for your needs. A design portfolio can be digital in the form of a website, slideshow, or PDF but it can also be analog in the form of a print book or poster.

That single question planted the seed.

From Observation to Imagination

When it comes to graphic design, designing a PDF as your portfolio is becoming more and more popular to highlight your work and PDF design skills. Using tools like InDesign and Photoshop you can create multi-page PDFs that can be fine-tuned and formatted any way you like. With new software, like Framer, it's becoming even easier to create a PDF online and share it in no time. The result of your PDF portfolio will be a

Here’s how the story started taking shape:

• I wrote down character ideas based on her expression.

• I asked myself “What if?” questions to explore different scenarios.

• I developed a backstory filled with mystery, emotion, and hope.

• I outlined a plot centered around memory, identity, and second chances.

Real Emotions, Fictional World

What I saw in her face was something universal—grief, love, hope, or maybe all three. I wanted to capture that feeling and wrap it inside a story that readers could connect with. I believe the best fiction is rooted in truth, even if it’s a truth we imagine. That’s what I set out to do: write a story that felt emotionally real, even in a made-up world.

As an important part of UX design, it’s important to show these aspects so viewers get the full experience of your designs. Next, website portfolios are super easy to share. You can include the link in your social media bios as well as send the link to anyone at any time. Your work will become more readily available this way. Finally, online portfolios are a great way to show off your personality. As the more new-age mention of displaying your work, you are less constrained by the rules of the classic print portfolio.

Why This Story Mattered to Me

When going the online portfolio route there are some drawbacks. First, website portfolios often require knowledge of code to create. This can be a blocker for many UX designers. However, there are increasingly more tools like Framer that allow you to create a design portfolio without code. Next, you have to keep in mind the constraints of the web. Things like breakpoints, different browsers, and rendering issues that you wouldn’t have to think about in print portfolios. Finally, website portfolios can be more time-consuming to create depending on how many site pages you need.

If you’ve read or are thinking about picking it up, I hope this glimpse behind the pages adds something special to your experience. Stories aren’t just entertainment—they’re bridges between us. And sometimes, they begin with a stranger in a coffee shop, holding a photograph.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me.
Feel free to leave a comment—what real-life moments have sparked your creativity?