Recently the topic of DNF-ing has come up a few times, both in conversation and on my YouTube feed and I thought I'd share my opinion.
First off, if you're not familiar with the term. DNF stands for 'Did Not Finish'.
I've heard a few different opinions on how people handle books that they just aren't enjoying, and I've read a fair few books that have left me wanting more.
Some people decide to just stop reading, and either count the book as read and rate it as a DNF or, they decide not to count it.
By counting it. I'm referring to things like counting it on Goodreads as a read book, or counting it towards any reading goal for the year.
I'm a big fan of Goodreads and I track every single book that I read, and I set myself a yearly reading goal.
For me, I treat books I'm not enjoying differently.
My sister asked me the other day, when I told her I really wasn't enjoying the book I was reading. Why I didn't just DNF it. My answer was that I was already halfway into the book, and if I don't complete a book, I don't feel as if I can count it on my books read list.
This is something I've always had a hard time with. I know a lot of other people will track their DNF books, but I just can't bring myself to do it. It actually took me the longest time to get into audiobooks, because I felt as if it wasn't really reading (an issue that I've since gotten over and now I love audiobooks and track them as I would a paperback).
So, I find myself very rarely giving up on a book entirely. Even if I'm not enjoying it and I'm finding it hard to get the motivation to pick it up and read, and perhaps I'll read a few other books before finishing the one I'm disliking. I still finish it...Eventually.
The only time I actually give up on a book, is if I'm finding it unsuitable for my particular preferences, for instance if it has a tonne of swearing or adult content.
Beyond simply feeling as if I can't count books if I DNF them, and not wanting to have wasted the time reading half a book, for it to not even count towards my goal.
The other reason I'll push through, is that you never really know when a book is going to surprise you. Maybe that last one hundred pages will be the best part and redeem the whole novel.
If I'd started DNF-ing books I couldn't get into from the time I started reading. I never would have made it through Jane Eyre, which became one of my favourite books. So, I always have this part of me which feels like I need to give the book a proper chance. Which, often times leads to me rating a lot of books low, but also sometimes leads to me finding a great story that just took a while to get started.
But, maybe that's just me.
How do you react to books that you're disliking? Leave a comment letting me know if you DNF books, and if you do, do you count them? And, what are some books you've DNF-ed?
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Hannah
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