We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lida Xu a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lida, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?
When I face doubt or criticism, I don’t rush to fight back, and I don’t let it define me.
I’m lucky to have a mom who always listens and a dad who, despite driving me crazy sometimes, has supported me financially.
I’ve always known the path I want to take, so those negative voices are more like background noise—they exist, but they don’t steer me off course.
I’m not hurrying to be understood, and I don’t need everyone’s approval.
What matters more to me is turning my ideas into reality, step by step. Even if it takes time, the noise eventually quiets down as long as I keep going.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m an emotion-driven visual storyteller, currently focused on creating indie games that explore personal connection, emotional nuance, and character-driven storytelling.
My creative journey spans across games, comics, and animation — I don’t limit myself to one medium, because what I truly care about is how stories feel. Whether it’s a soft moment of vulnerability or the quiet strength of a character overcoming hardship, I want my work to stay with people, long after the screen fades.
Right now, I’m developing Petting Lover, a narrative-based otome-style indie game that blends visual art, music, and emotionally branching storytelling. The project is currently in pre-launch on Kickstarter, and has already gathered over 100 followers, which means a lot to me as a solo developer.
If you’re curious, you can visit the Kickstarter pre-launch page here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1436151449/petting-lover
My background in visual storytelling began with animation. My graduation short film was selected by several international film festivals, and that experience solidified my love for using images to communicate emotion beyond language.
I believe that strong stories don’t have to be loud. They just need to be honest. And that’s the kind of world I want to keep building — one frame, one scene, one feeling at a time.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, the most impactful things I’ve learned weren’t just skills — they were ways of seeing.
First, learning to trust my own feelings. In creative work, there’s often pressure to be logical, marketable, or efficient. But for me, emotion is the beginning of everything meaningful. My best ideas come from feelings I take seriously — even if they don’t “make sense” right away.
Second, learning to listen, but not absorb everything. Not all advice is equal. I’ve learned to ask myself, is this helpful insight, or someone trying to impose their own fears onto me? That small shift in questioning helped me build a much clearer creative path.
And third, I’ve learned to think independently, but not alone. I’m lucky to have a family that supports me emotionally and practically. That support gave me the space to explore my own voice, and to return to it when I felt lost. My drive comes from within, but I don’t take my foundation for granted.
For anyone starting out: trust your instincts, learn to filter the noise, and remember — your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. What matters most is staying close to your own reasons for creating.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed, I let myself fall apart a little.
I’ve cried in dressing rooms after thesis reviews. I’ve played way too much Beat Saber instead of “being productive.” I’ve stared at my ceiling thinking everything might just collapse.
But the truth is — those moments always pass. I’ve learned that overwhelm doesn’t need to be solved immediately. Sometimes it needs to be felt, slept off, or danced through.
After the tears, I sleep. After the sleep, I walk. After I’ve walked, I think clearer. And that’s when I start building strategies again — slowly, with more compassion.
Recently, after graduation, I found myself burnt out on drawing. Not because I stopped loving it, but because I needed something else in my life.
So I tried something completely different: I worked as a cashier at Panda Fest. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was grounding. I met people from all kinds of backgrounds, and that reminded me that inspiration doesn’t just come from art — it comes from living.
My advice? Feel everything, but don’t rush to fix it. Let your body rest, let your brain wander, and let your world expand beyond your creative bubble.
Sometimes the best way to return to your work… is to step away from it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lidaxu.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xlllida/
Image Credits
Lida Xu
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