For a long time, I was a completionist reader. If I started a book, I had to finish it. It didn’t matter if I was bored, annoyed, or just plain not into the story—I had to see it through to the end. The guilt of leaving a book "unfinished" was a heavier burden than the slog of actually reading it.
I'd tell myself things like, "It might get better," or "I can't judge it if I don't finish it." This mindset led me to spend weeks, sometimes months, forcing myself through books that brought me zero joy. I remember one particularly long fantasy novel that I spent an entire summer with. Every page was a battle. I'd read two pages and my mind would drift, then I'd have to go back and reread them. My reading time, which used to be a highlight of my day, became a source of stress. I felt like I was wasting my time, but I also felt like a failure for even considering giving up.
Then, something shifted. I realized that my precious free time was being spent on a self-imposed chore. There are literally millions of books in the world, and I was spending my limited hours with one that wasn't working for me. The idea of "sunk cost"—the time and energy I'd already invested—was the only thing keeping me going. But what was the point of investing more time into something I wasn't enjoying?
I finally gave myself permission to DNF (Did Not Finish) a book. It was a popular thriller that just wasn't clicking for me. I was about 150 pages in and realized I didn't care about the characters or the mystery. So, with a deep breath and a sense of rebellion, I closed it and moved on. The feeling was incredible. It wasn't guilt; it was relief.
Since then, my reading life has transformed. I now approach every book with a new freedom. If I'm 50 pages in and I'm not engaged, I move on. If the writing style isn't for me, I move on. There’s no more guilt, only the excitement of finding the next great story. Giving myself permission to DNF has opened up my reading to so many wonderful books I might have missed while stuck in a book I wasn't enjoying.
How to Tell When It’s Time to DNF
If you're still a completionist and want to break the habit, here are a few questions I now ask myself before deciding to DNF a book:
Am I actively looking forward to picking this book up? If the answer is no, and the thought of reading it feels like a chore, it's a major red flag.
Am I constantly checking the page number? If you're more focused on how much you have left to read than what's happening in the story, it's a sign that your mind isn't engaged.
Could I be reading something else that I would enjoy more? The answer is almost always yes. There's a whole world of books out there waiting for you.
So, if you're struggling through a book right now, I want to give you permission to let it go. There's no shame in not finishing a book that isn't working for you. Your time is valuable, and your reading should be a source of pleasure, not pressure.
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