Im always afraid to DNF because I think what if in the end I love it! And that has happened to me a time or two. I’ve only DNF one book because I read like 3 chapters and it was so painful I had to let go 🤣
I used to refuse to DNF for reasons I no longer remember but at one point, I picked up a book I had always wanted to read. I wasn’t enjoying it, but I kept going. During the very last chapter, I realized that I had already read and hated this book years earlier! (This was before fancy reading trackers like goodreads). I had totally forgotten that I’d read it and apparently forgot most of the book, probably because I didn’t enjoy it. After that, I decided I could DNF. It’s one good way to prevent me from reading a terrible book twice! 😂
I'm like you - I have a really hard time DNFing even if I'm not "enjoying" it. I need closure! Totally agree with the sunk cost metaphor. I've also read plenty of books that needed to grow on me, so I like giving everything a chance. I did semi-recently DNF I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones because the stream of consciousness style made it fairly unreadable, imo.
I usually do not DNF books; however, if a book is just too boring, then I will give myself permission to DNF it because I, too, believe that life is short and there are just so many books I want to read. I'm more likely to choose NOT to read a book that I'm "supposed to" read than to DNF a book. For example, in the recent past, I have chosen not to read The Boys in the Boat -- it was one of my book club selections, and I didn't read it, and then it came up again during my family book club with my co-parent wanting the family to read it. After my son started reading it, he described it to me, and I knew, yet again, that it wasn't a book for me, no matter how good the writing. Then there are books that I will start to read, and while reading them, I will pick up other books, and forget that I started reading those other books (usually on my Kindle), and never go back to them -- usually dry parenting-related books. I guess that counts as DNFing, huh? Thank you for a great post!
Thanks Amy! It's so helpful to know your own reading tastes! And as for forgetting what you started... I think that's just an indefinite pause not full DNF 😉
I usually don’t DNF. BUT……I have given my self permission to DNF if it’s just not getting my attention or if I’m having trouble picking the book up again more than once. Life is short. I definitely find there are seasons for certain books. And books that fat shame, prison, bullying to excess…..those I let go of
Agree! Fat shaming drives me crazy. I also love the idea that there are seasons for certain books, just because it isn't working now doesn't mean it won't later.
Im always afraid to DNF because I think what if in the end I love it! And that has happened to me a time or two. I’ve only DNF one book because I read like 3 chapters and it was so painful I had to let go 🤣
I used to refuse to DNF for reasons I no longer remember but at one point, I picked up a book I had always wanted to read. I wasn’t enjoying it, but I kept going. During the very last chapter, I realized that I had already read and hated this book years earlier! (This was before fancy reading trackers like goodreads). I had totally forgotten that I’d read it and apparently forgot most of the book, probably because I didn’t enjoy it. After that, I decided I could DNF. It’s one good way to prevent me from reading a terrible book twice! 😂
Oh no!! haha I could see that happening to me too
I'm like you - I have a really hard time DNFing even if I'm not "enjoying" it. I need closure! Totally agree with the sunk cost metaphor. I've also read plenty of books that needed to grow on me, so I like giving everything a chance. I did semi-recently DNF I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones because the stream of consciousness style made it fairly unreadable, imo.
yay I'm not alone!! haha
I also struggled with I was a Teenage Slasher and probably should have DNF'd 🙃
It made me grind my teeth, I could NOT do it lol
I usually do not DNF books; however, if a book is just too boring, then I will give myself permission to DNF it because I, too, believe that life is short and there are just so many books I want to read. I'm more likely to choose NOT to read a book that I'm "supposed to" read than to DNF a book. For example, in the recent past, I have chosen not to read The Boys in the Boat -- it was one of my book club selections, and I didn't read it, and then it came up again during my family book club with my co-parent wanting the family to read it. After my son started reading it, he described it to me, and I knew, yet again, that it wasn't a book for me, no matter how good the writing. Then there are books that I will start to read, and while reading them, I will pick up other books, and forget that I started reading those other books (usually on my Kindle), and never go back to them -- usually dry parenting-related books. I guess that counts as DNFing, huh? Thank you for a great post!
Thanks Amy! It's so helpful to know your own reading tastes! And as for forgetting what you started... I think that's just an indefinite pause not full DNF 😉
I usually don’t DNF. BUT……I have given my self permission to DNF if it’s just not getting my attention or if I’m having trouble picking the book up again more than once. Life is short. I definitely find there are seasons for certain books. And books that fat shame, prison, bullying to excess…..those I let go of
Agree! Fat shaming drives me crazy. I also love the idea that there are seasons for certain books, just because it isn't working now doesn't mean it won't later.