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 our MMD Cohost and What Should I Read Next? Patreon Community Manager. Her go-to genre depends on her mood! You can find Shannan on Instagram @shannanenjoyslife.
87 comments
I DNF books ever since a string of terrible ones put me into a bad reading slump. Reading should not be a form of punishment!
Agreed Meagan. Thank you for sharing.
This is the biggest reason I will DNF a book. It puts me in a slump to try to force myself to read a book.
Amen! I’ve read vicariously all my teenage and adult life–I’m approaching 70. I’ve always been a DNF type person and now that I’m in the later years of my life–it’s too short to read something I’m not thoroughly loving!! I just flew through Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty–I could not stop reading! Great post!
Thank you Janna. Happy reading.
Thank you, thank you. I am going to try this method.
Let me know how it works out for you, Juli. It feels uncomfortable at first but keep persevering.
I never used to but several years ago now I started. I usually give a book 100 pages. However, there have been a few that don’t even make it that far. I have encouraged other book reading friends to DNF. I tell them it’s so freeing and LIFE is short with too many other good/great books TBR!
Excellent article! Thank you for sharing your insights on the subject. I was just telling a friend how often I have begun to DNF books that are not giving me joy. Who knew???
Thank you Kerri.
I love the idea of keeping a DNF list. Partly because I track my finished reads by date. And when there’s a week or more that passes without finishing a book, it seems as if I’m not reading. But actually I’ve just started and abandoned 2-3 books in that period. I find that when I love what I’m reading I look for time to read. When I’m not loving what I’m reading, I avoid reading. Anyway, (at 46) I loved everything about this article. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Bernadette.
Great post! I frequently DNF books that have bogged me down but I always read the end before I give up completely. I have nothing to lose at that point and sometimes I’ve gone on and finished the book (not often though).
Me too, Carolyn. Thank you for commenting.
There are too many good books out there waiting to be read that are a good fit for me to waste time reading ones that don’t hold my interest. I think I have gotten better about choosing the right books for me, but I have no issues with DNFing a book if it’s not to my liking, whether it’s a “not now” or “not ever” book.
Bravo and amen! I am trying to learn to DNF also but it’s still hard to do. Thanks for the idea of keeping a list of them, that might just make it easier.
I love it, Sonia. Thank you for commenting.
I remember throwing a book (paperback, no one was injured) by a famous author across the room when the protagonist did something so stupid no one would do it. You could see the she was going to suffer miserably for most of the rest of the novel. Ugh. But – only three years ago I started a fun little series thinking I would read all the books. Twenty plus books later, I begrudgingly read the last few. Similar plots, characters had already fully developed, you knew all the tricks. But I’d invested soooooo much! So I finished. Sigh. Thanks for the reminder I can use a DNF strategy – plus there are books I would love to re-read! So I could substitute one of those for one I DNF!
Sigh. I’m working to get rid of the sighing in my reading life. Thank you for sharing, Kim.
I once saw the rule of 100. Give a book 100 minus your age pages. Time is too precious to waste.
Echoing what others are saying…there is always a book I really want to read out there..and it may not be what I am actually reading. I’ve gotten to a place where unless its a book for my neighborhood book club, I don’t power through anymore. The way I feel after finishing a book I loved and one that was a meh…is night and day. I’m not going to love love them all and that’s fine. But if I have not much enthusiasm and it becomes a chore…. I have 200 more on my physical shelf to choose from. Ha.
Life is too short to spend time slogging through a book you are not enjoying!!! Too many other books out there to enjoy/read. I do not hesitate to DNF!!!
I’ve also started a DNF list. That said, there are other books that I finish that would be better on the DNF. I’m working on it!
Shannan, I could have written this post. The things you used to tell yourself and EXACTLY what has kept me from DNFing books. It’s still hard, I’m a work in process, but I’m trying to DNF books this year. I love the idea of keeping track of the books you DNF – that way, in my head, I still get “credit” for it. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your journey.
I’m so glad that it resonated with you, Connie. And you’re most welcome. It was my pleasure.
I absolutely use the DNF. Life is too short and there’s too many books to keep reading what you don’t enjoy.
I just DNF’d an audiobook with about 60% completed today. It’s still hard for me to do, but I wish it had become a practice much earlier in my life. Good for you, Shannan!
Thank you for sharing this, Candace! I am at the exact same place, and I’m hating that I continue to listen just because I don’t have another audio book lined up (I listen on my commute too/from work – 40 minutes each way). I’m going to DNF that book NOW and use my lunch break to find another audio book to start on my drive home tonight. Thanks for the push!
Midlife has also made me a DNFer. Well, I guess I was always willing to DNF but it has made me a more assertive DNFer. I have a slightly different bent on what I do when I am not enjoying a book. First, I ask myself if I think it’s just not resonating at the moment. For example, I tried two different times as an adult to get into How to Kill a Mockingbird and just could not. Then in my 30s a friend I respected said it was her favorite book. Mentally, I thought, okay, you’ve got to give it another go. That time I whipped through it and found it an incredible read. For whatever reason, my 20s weren’t the time for it but my 30s were. Another time I started reading a book that I quickly realized was about a dog with a brain tumor. I had, mere months prior, had to have my beloved dog put down because of a brain tumor. Way too soon and too traumatic for me.
Second – and I realize this is anathema to many people – I do not like to feel suspense. AT ALL. Since childhood I will read the ending of a book if the suspense is too much for me and then finish reading the entire book. What does this have to do with DNFing? If I have decided I don’t want to read the rest of the book, I’ll skip to the end to see what happened and that’s my closure. Done. Finito.
Happy reading!
I also tend to skip to the end to find out what happened because I have too much anxiety. Question: do you count the book as read or DNF or something else? I am curious. Thank you for commenting.
I loved this article! I am a voracious reader and have been all my life. Now in my 60s I still struggle to allow myself the “gift” of putting a book in the DNF pile. I am getting better though because life is too short and there are too many amazing books out there to slog through one I am not enjoying.
I appreciate the suggestion of keeping a DNF list. I will definitely start doing that and I think it will make it somewhat easier to let a book go!
Alexandra, the list was a game-changer. Thank you for sharing.
I still remember my first DNF so clearly – choosing to not finish it had as much impact as finishing the best book I’ve ever read! I still struggle with the choice, but this is an empowering message of self governance- thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Kristen. I love that – “an empowering message of self governance.” LOL
DNFing is easy if you are a tad AD (LOL – Finally, I may be getting the hang of all the initials I am seeing in today’s world!)
Also, getting samples of books for free for my Kindle is a great timesaver. Then, if possible, I get them from my library or from Kindle.
Finally, I have realized that today’s fiction often does not “relate” for me. For example, having loved “…A.J. Fikry”, I rushed to read “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow…”. I tried very hard to like the book. Just could’t do it.
Pamela, samples are a great time saver and I, too, use them regularly. Thank you for commenting.
Great idea about sampling books before committing to them! Libby has this feature as does Amazon for Kindle books. Reading the sample gives me an idea of the tone of the book and the author’s style.
I also wanted to add that utilizing the library more has really helped with DNF guilt. 1. I haven’t paid for it so I’m not being as wasteful with my resources. And 2. Someone who might actually enjoy it is probably waiting for it, so it’s kinder to let it go to them quicker.
That’s a great tip, Kristen.
Thank you Shannan! I don’t always finish books and it was nice to see the reasons behind it expressed so eloquently. In my head, it’s more of-They killed a tree for this?!
You are welcome, Laura. Thank you.
Thank you, Shannan! I, too, am trying to catch and correct the “should” thoughts. I started trying to DNF after listening to Anne for a while. It’s still hard, but it’s so freeing. I started keeping a DNF list, too, and it helps. I live the idea from some other comments about reading the ending. I never do that, and I think it could make me feel better about abandoning a book.
We can do it, Shana. Thank you for commenting.
Wow! What a POWERFUL argument!!! So well written and thought out!!! I do DNF probably 3-5 books a year, but I do agonize over the same things you used to. Will it “count”, have I wasted too much time, does it get better? I am reading “Birnam Wood” for instance, right now, and am more than halfway thru, but I am bored to death and not interested in the subject. I should DNF. But I’ve invested that much time. I think I’m going to skip to the last chapter, see the ending and call it good. It’s going to count, because I had enough of an “experience” reading this book. I feel much better! I always have logged them (as DNF, but also as why..) so that won’t change. Thank you for this essay, Shannan.
You are so welcome, Suzy. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this posting. I started DNFing ~3 years ago. Very freeing! Like you said, we’re our bosses and we get to make the rules.
As a side note, I’m heading to Scotland soon & picking up the book you referenced in your post – The Blue Hour. I’m going to some of the remote islands as part of my trip so this is perfect!
Always enjoy your posts. Thank you!
So glad to hear this, Carolyn. Enjoy your trip.
Thank you so much – this advice comes at the perfect time! I have the exact same reasons for not finishing very mediocre books and this is a habit I need to stop ASAP. Thank you for the encouragement!!
You can do it, Abbey! Thank you for sharing.
The main thing I got from this particular article is that you’re 45?! Girl… I thought you were 30. You look great.
Also, yes DNF-ing is where it’s at. I’ve never had an issue NF-ing a book b/c my TBR is so long, there’s always something up next in the list.
LOL. Thanks Hilary.
As a woman in her early 60’s who had gotten back to regular reading in the last 10 years or so, this article was an excellent way to convince me to see DNF as a reading option. The reasons you gave for not DNFing a book were all the reasons I have used in the past. I will begin to keep that DNF list and really pay attention to whether I can’t wait to get back to a book or am dreading it. Thanks!!
You’re welcome, Monica.
I love that you kept track of your DNFs. I do, too! That’s 47 books that didn’t work for you for whatever reason, and you got them out of your way so you could read books that were a better fit. Well done!
Never be ashamed to put a book down! Reading should not be a punishment. Thanks for these helpful reminders.
I have been DNFing books for many years. I’m in my late 70s, and have discovered that saying no to anything or anybody that doesn’t suit me is a source of immense satisfaction. It’s possible I don’t finish well over 50% of books I take out of the library, usually based on a book reviewer’s recommendation. Not that all or bad, as much that I have very focused tastes and know very quickly if something is for me or not. The quality of the writing, the way a story is handled, or anything involving children in the face of harm.
I keep a “Bailed” list. Somehow that makes it clear in my mind that it was a deliberate choice. I decide to bail if I have 5 minutes and don’t choose to read the book. Or I think, “I so don’t care.”
Thank you for sharing and being so vulnerable. I definitely became more comfortable with DNFing once I started listening to WSIRN (more than 5 years ago). I will say, sometimes, I am curious to see how a book will end so I’ll skim through the remaining pages. I too DNF’d book 2 in a series where I LOVED book 1. I said to myself, “this is not working and I’m not enjoying it.” Life is too short and there are too many books!!!
Love this! I am quickly approaching 70 and life is too short to slog through books that I am not enjoying. I read for pleasure and I read for knowledge, and if I am not getting either one from a book, I am parting ways with it! I have noted my DNFs in my reading journal, but like the idea of a separate list. Does it help you see trends? I have noticed that I am tired of unreliable narrators.
Jean, you know I haven’t looked at the trends. I should. Thank you for that. And thank you for reading.
I’m getting better at it, the older I get. At age 58, a book gets about 10 pages. If I find I don’t really care what happens next, it’s gone and on to the next! Also, I read mostly from the library. I do a mini-test while I’m there: flip to 3 random pages and see if anything there catches my interest, doesn’t have too much violence, graphic “romance”, or overused profanity.
You made so many great points in your article; the idea of finishing a book that isn’t interesting or intriguing is a waste of time and never satisfying. I always quote somebody who said, “too little time, too many books.” I can identify with the feeling of resignation when finally finishing a mediocre book. The idea of having a strategy to deal with the idea of abandoning a book is sound; setting limits is very helpful. I personally read between 50 to 75 pages before making a decision about entering a book into the DNF category. The formula of 100 minus your age is interesting but becomes too premature for many people like me as we age! Finally, I believe there’s a right time and place in our lives for certain books and we need to remain open to the idea of visiting a book a second (or third) time to see if it suddenly resonates with you depending on your life stage. Finally, I love the idea of only reading 4 and 5 star books but it’s so subjective and illusive depending on the individual. Perhaps a site such as Goodreads is on to something here where you can see book ratings from others and begin to pair with readers who have similar conclusions about their book ratings.
Carol, I believe that also, about the right time and place in our lives. I am always open to revisiting a book I have DNF’d but picked up again. I have DFN’d a number of books that have turned into some of my favorite reads. Thank you for sharing.
Anne gave me permission to DNF books several years ago even though we’ve never met or spoke, lol. She was discussing it with a guest and I thought “why do I always feel like I need to finish books even when I don’t enjoy them?” I don’t generally record DNFs and I’m ok with that. I only read 25-30 books a year and life is far too short to finish a book that isn’t for me!
I absolutely understand all the reasons for DNF-ing, and yet I am one of those people who is still firmly in the ‘can’t DNF’ category! I often think about whether I should start doing it, and something in my psychology just rebels. It’s mostly about needing the sense of completion, I think (at least with individual books – I’m perfectly happy to DNF series!). The laziness/quitter and author disrespect elements don’t really come into it.
I remember hearing some very specific advice on NPR from Nancy Pearl, the wonderful librarian in Seattle. She said that you should subtract your age from 100. I am 45, so that would be 55. If by page 55 I wasn’t enthusiastic about a book, I should abandon it. Her logic was that the older we get, the less time we have left for reading, so why spend those precious hours on books that don’t grab us.
Thank you for sharing this, Shannan. Your perspective resonates deeply with me as a fellow Mid-lifer working to learn that ‘I am the boss of me.’ I love your idea of keeping a separate list of books you DNF’d.
You’re welcome, Rosanne. Thanks for reading.
Use librarian Nancy Pearl’s rule for DNF:
If a reader is under 50 years old, then consume 50 pages before dropping a book. If a reader is over 50 years old, take the number 100, subtract your age, and this is the number of pages to read before switching to the next book.
Thank you Shannan for articulating all the reasons to embrace DNF. It is only recently ( and I am almost 70) that I gave up slogging through a book to the end because I wasn’t a “quitter” and the book didn’t “count”. When I had a book I dreaded to open, I wouldn’t read at all. That didn’t help my book count either lol. When I put that book in DNF and got to a “good” one, it was amazing how much I wanted to read.
I actually have two DNF lists, one for “absolutely nope” and one for “try another time.” Some books I can tell are not and never will be for me and I probably want to avoid the author too. Some books feel like I might like them at a different time or maybe in a different format. Sometimes when I give them another try and they are still not for me I move them to the nope list.
I can so relate to the DNF book not “counting.” To help with my spread sheet compulsion, I list the # of pages in the DNF that I read. That way, my time commitment to reading is reflected in my log (i.e. those ~100 pages are not wasted, but ‘counted’) and I am no longer bound to a book that is not working for me at present.
I love this idea! big spreadsheet and tracking girl here and tracking the number of pages read sounds like a great move for me to make! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve definitely DNF’d more books now that Fable lets me track them so easily. When I’m done with a book, I can either marked “Finished” or “DNF.” Then that time to me doesn’t feel “wasted,” and I can see my reading patterns using their daily tracker. It’s an absolutely silly thing, but tracking my DNF’d books has helped me a lot. Thanks Fable!
I DNF books, & count them as “read.” My thinking is that I did read the book, just not all the way. I feel like trying to slog through a book I’m not enjoying is more a waste of time. I could be reading something I like instead. I admit, I’ve even given up on books assigned for a class! I got a lot out of the discussions, but I was happier not having to try to get through a book while worrying that I won’t have time for my other homework.
Thank you for this! I resonate with so much and it took a while to get comfortable with DNF-ing. For me, I have this inner sense within if I’m not enjoying a book, or if I need to talk to someone about whether or not to finish a book, it’s a sign to DNF. Right now, the only time I have a hard time DNF-ing if it’s a book someone I know loves and recommended to me…
Shannan: DNF goals! Thank you. PS- You are AWESOME!
Aww, thanks Susan!
Wow, this post was exactly what I needed to read. Thanks for sharing your insights and strategies on how to DNF.
So glad to hear it Vanessa. Thank you for commenting.
I’ve learned that when I’m not enjoying a book, I don’t read nearly as much. So instead of reading I’m…scrolling. DNFing = more reading time for me.
I totally get this and have become more comfortable at not finishing a book which hasn’t inspired or thrilled or just kept me wanting to learn more. I am 66! That being said, sometimes you have to get half way or more through a book to get to the good stuff.
There are way too many good books out there to waste precious reading time on something I am not enjoying. I call it wall-banging, which is when you throw the book against the wall rather than spend another minute on it. I have wall-banged Pulitzer prize winners and more. It is my reading time, and I want to enjoy it.
I go by the 10% rule. I’ll try 10% of a book, including audio, and if by 10% I’m anxiously awaiting the easy exit, I move on. I tracked it last year, and I DNF’d 2 books for every 1 I finished. It’s more than I thought it would be, but it just emboldens me to continue on that path. I also figured out that reading a book out of season (trying a book in the summer that is set in the winter for example) rarely works for me, so I started “shelving” books for future seasons without starting them, no matter how tempting.
I probably DNF 25% of the books I start. I don’t have a set percentage or number of pages before quitting. As soon as I know a book is not right for me, I stop. I started one book last year that was a described as a “psychological thriller” but was actually more of a horror story. I stopped after the first page; it was just too full of stuff I do not want to read about. Happy Reading!
Absolutely agree! I started DNFing books about 5 years ago, on Anne’s recommendation. It has totally changed my reading life. I keep a list on Goodreads of books I have DNFed. Shannan, your comment at the end about how there are so many other things we cannot control really resonated with me. I have had to be more cautious about what kind of characters, relationships and storylines are just not good for me right now.
Shannan, I always appreciate your recommendations and advice. Over the years you have recommended some books (especially Becky Chambers work) that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have also cut down on the YA fantasy/romance books. I just can’t take those controlling male characters anymore. Thank you!
Just found you!
Very interesting topic. I am recently part of the dnf club.There simply are so many I want to read.
Intriguing idea to keep a DNF list! Thanks
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