Summary: We’ve all faced it, but for some it’s hard to do and fills us with guilt. What is DNF (not to be confused with DTF…) and why is it so important to abandon books when they do not serve you?
DNF: Did Not Finish (you abandoned the book)
Holly DNFs when: There’s no page requirement, but her main rule of thumb is - if she thinks it, it’s already too late. The main driver? She no longer cares what is going to happen. She can get actively annoyed with characters, but for whatever reason she no longer cares about the future plot of the book.
Devin DNFs when: she starts avoiding the book. When she needs to DNF, she essentially ghosts the book, focusing instead on chores, television, and crafting. She sometimes won’t even realize right away that it’s time to DNF until she recognizes that she hasn’t read in almost a week.
Reading a book can sometimes feel like a relationship, and when things go wrong it’s natural for us to wonder if the problem is with… us. But there isn’t anything wrong with giving up on a book that doesn’t bring you joy. The key is to not waste time on books that bother you, but instead to keep exploring genres and authors until you find your wheelhouse just like Holly and Devin with thrillers and romances.
Holly recommends reviewing each book you read or DNF so you can more consciously hone what works (or not) for you in your reading. Devin acknowledges that sometimes a book doesn’t serve us in that season of our lives, so a DNF doesn’t have to be permanent and revisiting books even years later can lead to fulfillment.
Overall, reading as adults is fun and supposed to bring us joy. So much of life is full of pressure, and reading should not be one. Ultimately, life is too short to read books you don’t like. So DNF and do it with pride!
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