Novel Ink: Discussion | How I Know That It's Time To DNF A Book

Discussion | How I Know That It's Time To DNF A Book

Posted on Thursday, March 27, 2014 4:00 AM

I know that the act of DNFing books is different for everybody, some people will put a book down if they are not enjoying it and some will hold out until the very end. I feel like everybody should do what they feel comfortable with or what they feel is best for them. If they are not feeling a book and that decide to put it down, that's ok. Or if they are not enjoying a book and they still finish it, well, that's ok too. Everybody should have their own preference when it comes to the dreaded DNF.

When I first started reading, I was the type of person who would force myself to finish a book no matter if I liked it or not. However, since I started blogging, I don't force myself to read the books that I'm not enjoying anymore. I have so many books that I want to read that I just don't feel like I should waste my time on the books that I don't like. Again, this is only MY personal preference.

The main thing that makes me decide that it's time to DNF a book is when I find excuses not to read. There have been times when I'm reading a book and I will constantly try to come up with something to do that way I won't have to read that specific book. When I notice myself wanting to do other things like housework instead of reading a certain book, that's when I know it's time to add that book to the DNF pile.

Now, I want to you what your preference is when it comes to DNFing books. Do you DNF a book that you're not enjoying? Or do you try to hold out?

Comments (14)

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Jess W · 582 weeks ago

If I'm not enjoying a book then I'll stop reading it - life's too short to read bad books! :)
I do feel bad though if I don't finish a book.
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narapanacea 99p · 582 weeks ago

I tend to keep reading unless there's something really off putting- and there are really only two situations where that would happen:
1. Too much angst (e.g. a lot of New Adult books)
2. Writing style that I don't like at all (e.g. Gail Carriger's books)
I really don't DNF often though. I do try to finish books off, if only to find out what happens to the characters or to see if the book improves :)
My recent post Reading Update (28/3/13)

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jaimelester 53p · 582 weeks ago

I do my very best to hold out and keep on reading, in hopes that there will be some redeeming factor if I just keep on pushing through it. But, if it absolutely is not happening, and I can't stand another second, I will make the decision to DNF. I have only recently, within the last year I guess, started DNF'ing books. That was something that I always refused to do because it made me feel guilty, like I was personally doing an injustice to the author.I would feel so guilty that, even if a book was making me want to tear my hair out it was so bad, I would push through until the very end. Then, one day, I was reading reviews for a book on Goodreads and marveling at how varied the ratings were. I realized that, even if I decide I don't enjoy a book and put it down, there will still be others who will love that book, and those are the readers an author truly wants. Not ones who force themselves to finish a book because they feel bad DNFing, but the ones who truly loves their story. After that, it started becoming easier. There are just too many books that I want to read.... I still don't DNF very often, and it is usually only after trying to get into a story several times, but it is nice to know that I CAN if I truly feel like I want to!

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Michelle · 582 weeks ago

I am the same way!! Whenever I find myself watching TV when there isn't even anything on that I want to watch instead of reading my book, I know it's because I am not into the book. Sometimes I DNF because I've started to read too many books at the same time and one gets pushed aside. Those are ones I'm always planning on going back and reading, but I usually don't. There probably was some reason it wasn't catching my attention, so I usually always find something new to start instead :( I don't DNF that much though. I'm not a quitter!!
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chucklesthescot · 582 weeks ago

I have too many tbrs to waste time on books I'm not enjoying. As soon as I start getting bored with it, I stop. If I don't engage with the plot or characters, I stop. I DNF a lot of books-some are because I find they are not my thing or not what I was looking for, some for plot and character issues, some for just being poor in my opinion. I feel no guilt about it coz I can't like everything I read!
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caitdrews 124p · 581 weeks ago

I'm one of those hopeless people who ALWAYS finish. I can't not! I think I've only ever DNF'ed one book (weak moment). But I think I should DNF instead of finishing sometimes, because when I finish I'm sooo angry and my review turns very, very ranty. (Editing is my friend.) It's frustrating, though, because there are SO many books to read! My OCD just screams at me if I don't finish... This is an awesome discussion topic!
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lissiet 69p · 581 weeks ago

I try to make it at least 50 pages or 20% into the book and then decide. I have a huge TBR and there is no time to finish books I am not into!
Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
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neonyeti 34p · 581 weeks ago

I will try to hold out reading a book as long as possible, but with the high number of books, I have started DNFing them. For me, the point is really when I am just not feeling with the characters or the plot and it just doesn't interest me. Normally, I try to come back to some of them, especially if a lot of hype starts building around them. After two chapters of this, I will turn the book over to the DNF pile.

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undermountainbooks 27p · 581 weeks ago

I'm the opposite. When I first started reading I DNFed any book I couldn't get into within the first couple of chapters. Now I force myself to read at least half the book and I'm finding that by doing that I actually start to like the characters and enjoy the story a lot more by the middle and usually end up finishing it too.

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charleenlynette 32p · 581 weeks ago

I'm like you; I used to finish everything no matter what, but eventually got used to DNFing... and I'm SUCH a happier reader for it.

As for when I put it down, though, that's different for every book. Most often, I make the call about a quarter of the way through (and yes, usually it will have taken me days just to get that far while I normally read a couple books a week).

Then there are others that I keep reading because it's not terrible but I'm just not excited about it, and I finally decide to give up around halfway or even farther. Even once I started DNFing, these were the books I would still make myself finish because it seemed a waste not to if I'd gotten that far... but I'm getting better about not guilting myself and just going with my gut.

And then there are the rare books that I DNF within the first few pages. Usually these are a narrative voice thing, and I can tell right away that I'm not going to enjoy it, no matter what the story is.
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appelkers 8p · 581 weeks ago

I never really considered your last point, but it's so true for me, now that I think about it. There will those books that you just don't feel like reading anymore and suddenly you'll find yourself doing pretty much anything but reading. Though I have had this pretty much ever since I started reading, it definitely got more pronounced once I started blogging. There are just so many books out there that I'd rather be enjoying than struggling through certain others.

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kxw116 47p · 581 weeks ago

I DNF'd a book for the first time this year and it felt fantastic! Reading had started to feel like work and stopping reading was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I'll definitely be less hesitant to DNF a book I'm not enjoying the future :)
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delicateeternity 69p · 580 weeks ago

I think I'm really lucky because in the last few years, I've only DNF'd one book, and felt like DNF'ing another. The DNF'd one was like a weird retelling of my favourite classic novel, and was adding all these awfully incorrect storylines so I knew I couldn't read it. The one I felt like DNF'ing but didn't was a review copy that I specifically asked for. I really didn't think that I could reply to the publisher and say: oh hey I asked for this book but I didn't read it. I felt that I should give them my honest opinion of the book (being read in full), so I did. But I was the same as you: finding reasons NOT to read. Which I think is awful, and completely defeats the purpose of reading! Reading is for FUN.
But like I said, there have only been these two lately, and I am happy about that. I usually manage to pick out books that I end up liking. But I would DNF a book if I really REALLY didn't want to read it any more. There are better books to spend my time on!
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losetimereading 50p · 579 weeks ago

When I first started reading I too, forced myself to basically finish everything I started and I'm not sure why. I can only remember DNFing (and I didn't even call it that, just basically put it on the shelf for later haha) two books prior to blogging, Eat Pray Love and The Nanny Diaries.

I try to hold out as much as I can because I have fallen in love with books that I have wanted to DNF (Code Name Verity most importantly) but when I get that, Gosh I'm So Bored thought one too many times or I grossly despise the characters then I will put it down. Even then I kind of go over it quite a few times and am somewhat reluctant.

It's a tough thing for me, and sometimes I wish that I could DNF with as much ease as others do sometimes!
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