It took me over eight years to get comfortable with the concept of not finishing a book, also known as DNF (Did Not Finish). And then another two years to get comfortable enough to actually DNF regularly. I am not alone. Over the years, I have interacted with many readers who tell me, solemnly and with fervent intensity, that they cannot DNF. However, it changed my reading life. I am not being hyperbolic when I say that DNFing my books has been the number one strategy I have used to enhance my joy of reading and to discover what I love and want more of in my reading life.
I can’t remember when I first encountered Anne’s recommendation to DNF a book. As I said, it was at least 10 years ago. But my hackles immediately rose. Not finish a book? There was no way I could EVER do that. First, it was pure laziness. How could I not finish what I had started? I was no quitter. Second, it was disrespectful. Authors pour their heart and soul into their writing (I know I do), how could I not honor their work and finish? Third, it would be a waste of time to stop. I’d already spent at least a couple of hours on this title and I will never get that time back. I might as well finish. And finally, if I didn’t finish the book, then it didn’t “count.”
At the beginning of 2024, I started a personal reading project to have 80% of my books for the year be 4 or 5-star reads. I quickly realized that I was not going to be successful in this project if I completed every book I started and I was forced to fully embrace the concept of the DNF. It amazes me how often my reading life is a microcosm of my nonreading life; I have been doing a lot of work, including therapy, around interrogating the voices in my head that tell me what I “should” do at every turn. Including my reading. Somehow, I allowed a confluence of forces of murky origin to convince me that it was wrong to not finish a book.
Over the last year, I identified the two main attitudes that stopped me from DNFing a book. First, the belief that if I didn’t finish a book, it didn’t count. Count for what? And who said it couldn’t? Who is making up the rules in my reading life? Second, the idea that I might as well finish. You can almost hear the accompanying sigh. There is no joy. There is no enthusiasm. There is no curiosity. There is only resignation.
In therapy, this 45-year-old is learning that I am the boss of me. I get to decide what I want to do and I get to make the rules. Especially in my reading life. If I even want rules. To combat the idea that a DNF book didn’t count, I created another list where I kept a record of the books that I began reading and did not finish. In 2024, my count stood at 47.
I tried everything I thought I might be interested in, knowing that I didn’t have to finish it if I didn’t want to. I DNF’d book two of a very popular series when I confirmed with a friend that the main character’s emotional growth was slower than I could handle. This further confirmed to me that most Young Adult novels aren’t a good fit for me. I stopped reading a book by a favorite author when it became evident that I was already familiar with the concepts they wrote about since I listened to their podcast regularly. My willingness to try new works caused me to read one of the most eerie, atmospheric, haunting reads of my life that will stay with me forever. My percentage of 4 to 5-star reads for the year was 73%, a percentage that would not have been attained without the DNF.
And as for that resigned sigh over finishing books just for the sake of finishing them? Well, I refuse to live my reading life that way any longer. There is too much going on in the world right now that I have no control over. From politics to natural disasters to the many physical and mental challenges encountered by my friends and family, not to mention my own, there is enough to sigh over. My reading life is not going to be one of them.
What about you? Do you DNF books? Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I still feel like I should finish a book but then I remember my lessons learned and press on. Have I talked you into giving it a try? Please tell me in the comments.
P.S. A trick for when you’re in a reading rut and book journaling tools for every reader.
About the author
Shannan Malone is the MMD Cohost and Contributor. Her go-to genre depends on her mood! You can find Shannan on Instagram @shannanenjoyslife.