Is there a way to code a website myself, but not have to write out <p></p> every time?
One good way of retaining full control over your website's code, but doing less work overall, is to use an advanced Integrated Development Environment (IDE) software for websites, which will allow you to focus on the pertinent parts of the website-writing problem while automating common tasks.

You might want to check out a list of HTML editors on Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_HTML_editors

Another, method is to write your website content as a basic text in any text editor, and then use one of the static site generator (SSG) software that will HTML code out of that base text. You can then still edit the HTML code yourself before publishing, or better yet, customize the options of the generator. Generally, such generators are highly customizable, allowing you a high level of control over the final HTML and CSS code. 

I would recommend that you use `markdown` as your base text, as this is a popular, lightweight system of annotating the text while making it easy for machines to interpret its semantic structure -- ultimately leading to a better-looking website.

I can tell you more about markdown, list SSGs that I know about, or tell you more about other ways of creating and publishing a website.
I would like to create a website using markdown, since I'm familiar with that. How do I do that?
You can create a website using markdown by converting your markdown files into HTML, which is the standard format used for creating webpages. Here's how you can create a website using markdown:

Write your content in markdown: Start by writing your website content in markdown, a lightweight markup language that is easy to read and write.

Choose a markdown compiler: There are several online tools and software programs that can convert markdown files into HTML. Some popular options include Pandoc, MarkdownPad, and Dillinger.

Compile your markdown into HTML: Once you have chosen a markdown compiler, use it to convert your markdown files into HTML. This process will generate HTML files that you can use to create your website.

Create your webpage structure: Use the generated HTML files to create the structure of your website. You can add additional HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code to customize the appearance and functionality of your website.

Host your website: Once you have created your website, you'll need to host it on a server so that others can access it on the web. There are several hosting providers, such as Bluehost, HostGator, and GoDaddy, that offer website hosting services.

That's it! You can now use markdown to create a website, taking advantage of its simplicity and ease of use. Good luck!