Reader Habits: Do You DNF Books? When to Quit Reading and When to Push Through

 

Do You DNF? We Have Opinions. They Are Not the Same.

In the first mini episode of our Reader Habits series, we’re tackling one of the most divisive reading questions: when do you quit a book, what counts as a DNF, and is it ever worth pushing through?

Short answer: we don’t agree.

 

Where We Landed (Sort Of)

One of us has a DNF shelf that predates Goodreads even offering one. One of us has six total DNFs across years of reading and feels genuine guilt about each one. One of us is somewhere in the middle, putting books "on pause" and calling it a day.

The guilt thing is real and we get into it. There's a difference between saying a book is bad and saying a book isn't for you, and that distinction matters more than you'd think.

 

What Actually Makes Us DNF a Book

Slow pacing is the biggest one. Bad writing is up there. Graphic content that hits too close to home. Being in the wrong mood for a genre you've burned yourself out on (not that anyone here would know anything about that).

Unlikeable characters, though? Not a dealbreaker. We'll read a whole book hoping someone gets murdered. That's just the thriller reader experience.

 

The Goodreads problem

We spent more time than we probably should have on whether a DNF counts toward your reading challenge. The answer is now yes, kind of, and we have feelings about it.

 

Listen to the full episode

This one is a quick one, bite-sized by design. Catch the DNF mini episode wherever you get your podcasts, and let us know where you fall: hard DNF, never DNF, or the pause-and-pretend method.

 

FAQ

What does DNF mean in reading?

DNF means “did not finish” and refers to stopping a book before completing it.

Is it okay to DNF a book?

Yes. Many readers regularly DNF books that don’t hold their interest.

Should you finish every book you start?

Not necessarily. It depends on your reading goals and preferences.