DNF Books Meaning: On Letting Books Wait — or Letting Them Go (and Why It’s Okay!)
Confessions first. *takes a deep breath*
For a long time, I saw not finishing a book as something almost… shameful.
There, I said it.
I always felt like a book deserved to be finished. Someone had put a lot of effort into writing it (as an author myself, I should know!), and I thought I owed it to the book to give it a proper chance. That usually meant forcing myself to read way past the point where I had already lost interest.
At some point, I read that you should only give a book about 60 pages. Or 80 pages. And if it still doesn’t work for you, you’re allowed to let it go. That idea alone felt very freeing back then.
Just recently, around the turn of the year, I sorted through a whole stack of books again. Books I already know I probably won’t connect with in the next 10 or even 20 years of my life. And now, I let them go. I give them away, pass them on, and make space for new books instead.
In this article, I want to show why not finishing a book — or sometimes only reading a few pages and not continuing at all — isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Especially if, in the end, the book still finds someone else who might enjoy it more than you ever would.
DNF Books Meaning: Not Every Story Is Meant to Be Finished
DNF Books Meaning – Quick Summary
DNF stands for “Did Not Finish” and describes the decision to stop reading a book before the end. Many readers DNF books because of slow pacing, lack of interest, mismatched expectations, or simply because the book doesn’t fit their current mood. DNFing a book is not a failure or a moral issue — it’s a conscious reading choice that helps readers protect their time, enjoy reading more, and focus on books they truly love.
What Does DNF Mean in Books?
DNF stands for “Did Not Finish” (sometimes also read as “Do Not Finish”) and is a term commonly used in the reading community.
When someone says they DNFed a book, it simply means they started reading it but decided not to finish it. This can happen after a few pages, a few chapters, or even halfway through the book.
DNF does not mean the book is objectively bad. It usually just means that, for whatever reason, the book didn’t work for that particular reader at that particular time. Maybe the pacing was too slow, the writing style didn’t click, the story went in an unexpected direction — or sometimes, you simply don’t feel like continuing.
Having “no motivation to pick a book back up” is often the clearest sign of a DNF. When reading starts to feel like a task instead of something you look forward to, many readers choose to stop and move on.
Why Readers DNF Books In The First Place?
Well…
There are many reasons why readers decide not to finish a book — and most of them have nothing to do with being lazy, impatient, or “bad readers.”
(So no worries if you just felt… called out! You’re not.)
It can be anything, really.
Some of the most common reasons readers DNF books include:
The book is boring. (you almost feel asleep right there… even though it’s 10 am.) Sometimes a story simply doesn’t spark any curiosity. If nothing pulls you forward, finishing the book can feel unnecessarily exhausting.
Slow pacing. Yawn… When very little happens over hundreds of pages, many readers lose interest — especially if the payoff feels too far away.
Bad writing or weak prose. Clunky sentences, repetitive language, or awkward dialogue can make reading feel like work instead of enjoyment.
An unlikable main character (that doesn’t give you hope it’ll get better). You don’t have to love every protagonist, but if you actively dislike spending time with them, continuing can be tough.
Poor editing or too much repetition. Overexplaining, info dumps, or constant recaps can quickly kill momentum.
Genre mismatch or misleading expectations. Sometimes the blurb, cover, or marketing promise one thing — and the book delivers something entirely different.
The book is too dark, triggering, or emotionally draining. What felt fine at one point in life may not feel manageable anymore.
The book is confusing or hard to follow. Especially with complex worldbuilding, some readers simply lose the thread.
You lost interest halfway through. Not every story sustains its tension until the end. (It’s also okay to literally stop at 80% of a book, if you want.)
Life changed — and the book no longer fits your mood. Timing matters more than we often admit. (I cannot tell you how often I just didn’t feel a book. But sometimes, when I kept it, years ofter, suddenly it “spoke” to me and then I loved it. Books are really often just a mirror to ourselves, our lives and our moods.)
All of these - and any other reason you might have - are valid reasons to stop reading a book. Like… really!
Is It Okay to DNF a Book?
Short answer: yes. Absolutely. It is YOUR book. Your time. You bought it (or borrowed it - or, okay, maybe it was a gift to you). And there is absolutely no obligation to read anything you don’t want. Unless you’re in school, of course.
One important thing many people forget is that most books are NOT schoolbooks. Yet, for many readers, books still carry this strange sense of obligation — like reading is supposed to be a serious, slightly unpleasant duty you have to push through.
You DO NOT have to do that. Let it go, give it a mumbling Marie-Kondo-like “goodbye and thank you” and give the book away. Or put in in the shelf, if you like the look.
Let it gooooo (to make this a Frozen-themed blog article).
Do not forget… You read for pleasure.
Do not force yourself to do anything that takes the pleasure from reading.
Because… reading for pleasure is already declining worldwide. In 2025, the UK officially declared 2026 the Year of Reading, launching large-scale initiatives to encourage people to read more — simply because fewer and fewer people experience reading as something enjoyable.
That’s why anything that helps make reading fun again is a good thing.
And sometimes, that means not finishing a book.
Think about it… If you wouldn’t sit through a bad movie just because someone worked hard on it, there’s no reason to force yourself through a book that isn’t working for you. I assume you can stop watching a film without guilt — you can do the same with reading.
You don’t have a moral obligation to finish every book you start.
Your time is limited. Your attention is valuable. And finishing a book doesn’t make you a better reader by default. There is millions of other books that you can read instead. No hard feelings. Again… Let it gooo. ❄️
Many readers keep going because of the sunk cost fallacy — the feeling that you’ve already invested too much time to quit now. But time spent reading something you don’t enjoy is time you could spend reading something you love.
Here are a few important reminders:
Reading is not a moral achievement. (Think about if all of this comes from your school days… Anything you recall from there?)
Finishing a book is not a character trait. No, it doesn’t make you a quitter to not read it from page 0 to 800.
Quitting a book does not mean you failed.
Reading for joy matters more than reading out of guilt.
You’re allowed to choose what earns your time. (I know, this one could be printed on a postcard and be attached to your bathroom door, feel free to do so!)
Sometimes, DNFing a book is exactly what helps you fall back in love with reading. Get free, get light, and the next book might be your new all time favorite.
When You Should DNF a Book
There are moments when stopping a book isn’t just okay — it’s the smartest choice.
Here are some clear signs that it might be time to DNF a book:
Reading feels like a chore. If picking up the book feels more like an obligation than something you look forward to, that’s a strong signal.
You actively avoid continuing… When days or weeks pass and you keep choosing anything else over that book, your interest is already gone. Again… This book is not your new year’s resolution or a gym subscription. You don’t owe it anything!
You don’t care what happens next. Curiosity is the engine of reading. If you truly don’t care about the ending, forcing yourself to continue rarely makes sense.
You’re only reading because “everyone loves it”. Popularity doesn’t guarantee personal enjoyment. A book can be objectively successful and still be wrong for you.
The book negatively affects your mood. If reading leaves you drained, irritated, or stressed — especially outside of intentional heavy topics — quitting can be an act of self-care. Yes, it’s always good to challenge yourself. But this is still pleasure reading, folks. So if it just brings you down… It wasn’t meant to be.
You’re reading just to get through it. When the goal shifts from “I want to read this” to “I just want this to be over,” it’s usually time to stop. This goes out to all the over-ambitious book-journaling peeps out there ;-)
Many readers also follow a simple guideline like the 50-page rule (or a percentage-based version for eBooks). If a book hasn’t sparked interest by then, it’s often unlikely to suddenly change later.
Bam. Done. On we go. Works wonders for all readers that feel they need “permission”. And if that’s you, you can set the “minimum bar” and the level you want.
When You Should Not DNF a Book
Okay, “should” is a very strong word here!
At the same time, not every reading slump automatically means a book deserves to be abandoned.
Here are a few situations where it might (no pressure though!! :-)) be worth continuing:
You’re in a temporary reading slump. Sometimes the issue isn’t the book — it’s your energy level, stress, or lack of focus at that moment.
The book has a complex or slow beginning by design. Some stories need time to build atmosphere, characters, or worldbuilding before they fully unfold.
You’re reading non-fiction for learning, not entertainment, not every book is meant to be exciting. Educational or practical books often require a different mindset.
The book doesn’t fit your current mood — but might later. In these cases, pausing instead of DNFing can be the better option. (I myself do this all the time. Sometimes I just don’t “feel it”. And… voilà, a few months pass, and I jump on that very same book.)
You’re curious despite the struggle. If something still pulls you forward, even quietly, it may be worth giving the book a little more space.
Not every difficult reading experience means the book is bad. Sometimes it’s simply the wrong moment.
DNF Culture on Goodreads and BookTok
DNF is no longer just a private reading decision. On platforms like Goodreads and BookTok, it has become part of modern reading culture.
On Goodreads, many readers use a public DNF shelf to mark books they started but didn’t finish. This isn’t necessarily meant as a judgment — it’s often just a way to track personal reading honestly. Publicly marking a book as DNF can also help other readers understand that not every book works for everyone.
BookTok has played a huge role in normalizing this mindset. Many creators openly talk about books they DNF, why they stopped reading, and how freeing that decision felt. Instead of pushing through out of obligation, readers are encouraged to listen to their own preferences.
This shift has helped remove a lot of shame around quitting books.
DNF vs. Low Star Ratings
One interesting aspect of DNF culture is the difference between DNFing a book and leaving a low star rating.
For many readers, DNFing feels more honest than forcing themselves to finish a book just to rate it poorly. If you didn’t finish a book, you often don’t feel qualified to judge the entire story. In that sense, a DNF can actually be kinder than a one-star review.
A DNF usually means: This book wasn’t for me. A low rating (often, not always… you know) implies: This book failed at what it promised (to that specific reader or how he/she wanted the book to be).
That distinction matters — especially for authors. Many readers choose to DNF quietly instead of publicly criticizing a book they simply weren’t the right audience for.
The “Too Many Books” and Waste Argument
As DNF culture became more visible, so did criticism. Some people argue that readers buy too many books, start too many books, and don’t finish enough of them — framing this as wasteful or irresponsible.
But that argument often misses the bigger picture.
Buying a book doesn’t mean it has to stay unread forever on your shelf. Many readers who DNF books pass them on — to friends, family, neighborhood book exchanges, or donation centers. A book that didn’t work for you might be exactly what someone else is looking for.
In that sense, the book isn’t wasted at all. It simply finds the reader it was meant for.
And no one is forced to buy books in the first place. For many people, libraries are a fantastic alternative — still affordable and accessible in many regions. Borrowing books, trying them out, and returning them if they don’t work is completely valid.
The more books exist, and the more books circulate between readers, the better it is for everyone involved. Stories get read by the people who actually enjoy them. Readers discover what they love. And reading stays alive as something dynamic — not rigid or moralized.
At the end of the day, DNF culture isn’t about consuming carelessly. It’s about reading consciously.
DNF from an Author’s Perspective
From an author’s point of view, DNFs are often misunderstood.
Readers don’t owe authors anything. They are not responsible for protecting an author’s feelings, and they should never feel obligated to finish a book just to be “nice.” Reading is personal, and no one is required to suffer through a story that doesn’t work for them.
That said, there is still a difference between honest, well-intentioned feedback and unnecessarily hostile criticism.
When you read reviews online, you sometimes see comments that feel less like literary critique and more like personal attacks. And that’s where things get uncomfortable. At the end of the day, a book is a piece of art — a fictional work — not a personal affront. Disliking it is completely valid. Attacking the person behind it usually isn’t.
For many authors, a reader saying “I didn’t finish this book” is actually valuable feedback.
A DNF can mean different things:
The book wasn’t written for that reader.
The timing was wrong.
The pacing didn’t hold their attention.
The story didn’t create enough emotional investment.
None of those automatically mean the book is bad. But they do provide information.
From an author’s perspective, a DNF is often more useful — and fairer — than a forced one-star review from someone who pushed through a book they clearly didn’t enjoy. Not every story resonates with every reader, and that’s normal.
Most authors are constantly learning. They refine their craft, experiment with structure, improve pacing, and sharpen their voice over time. Understanding where readers lose interest is part of that process — whether the feedback comes through reviews, messages, or quiet DNFs.
I include myself in that.
Every book teaches you something, especially when it doesn’t fully land. And a reader choosing to stop reading is not a failure — for them or for the author. It’s simply part of how art and audience interact.
Final Thoughts: Letting Go of Reading Guilt
DNFing a book doesn’t mean you don’t love reading.
Choosing not to finish a book is a way of protecting your time, your attention, and your joy as a reader. It allows you to move on faster, discover books that truly resonate with you, and build a reading life that feels intentional instead of forced.
Which is what we want from ALL of your life… right? ;-)
Not every book is meant for every reader. Not every book is meant for you. And that, my friend, is totally okay.
DNF is not a failure and not bad and not a thing that you cannot tell your friends about. It’s a decision to part ways from a file or a stack of paper - which will give you space for other stories to come.
Personal Note About My “DNF Behavior”
I’ve myself become sooo much more relaxed about all of this over the years.
Recently, I came across an analogy that really stuck with me: treating bookshelves like a wine cellar. (A very luxurious analogy, I know. But bear with me. And for the record, no, I don’t own a wine cellar. But the thought of it is cool.)
So back to the analogy: A wine cellar isn’t impressive because all the bottles are empty. It’s impressive because it’s FULL. Because it holds so many unopened bottles, each one waiting for the right moment.
And there’s no shame in that. There’s — on the opposite — a lot of coolness in that.
That’s how I see books now. I don’t feel bad anymore about having many unread books. To me, it feels like a treasure chest — full of stories waiting patiently for when the time is right.
Over the years, I’ve noticed something interesting: the right book always seems to find me at the right moment. I buy books knowing that there will probably be a future version of me who needs exactly that story. And if that moment doesn’t come within the next year, that’s completely fine. It might be two years. Or a few weeks.
Until then, they look amazing (I often buy books because of their covers, ahem…) and they make a beautiful apartment decoration, and sometimes I just open a random book, read some words… and am happy!
That’s what the TBR pile is for.
And then there’s the other pile — the books where I realize: this probably isn’t going to work for us. When that happens, I say thank you, Marie Kondo–style, and let the book go. I pass it on, make space, and move forward.
It feels lighter that way. And it leaves room for new treasures to arrive. I am VERY sure there are many to come.
FAQ
What does DNF mean in books?
DNF stands for “Did Not Finish.” It means a reader started a book but decided not to finish it.
Is DNF the same as giving up on a book?
Not necessarily. DNFing usually means making a conscious decision to stop reading because the book isn’t a good fit — not because the reader failed.
Is it okay to DNF a book?
Yes. Reading is meant to be enjoyable, not an obligation. You’re allowed to stop reading a book at any point.
How many pages should you read before DNFing a book?
There’s no universal rule. Some readers follow a 50-page or 20–25% rule, but ultimately it’s about whether the book keeps your interest.
Does DNF mean the book is bad?
No. A DNF usually means the book wasn’t right for that reader at that time — not that it’s objectively bad.
Is DNF better than leaving a low rating?
Many readers think so. If you didn’t finish a book, DNFing can feel fairer than forcing yourself to finish just to leave a negative review.
Should you DNF a book everyone else loves?
Yes, if it doesn’t work for you. Popularity doesn’t guarantee personal enjoyment.
What does a DNF shelf mean on Goodreads?
A DNF shelf is used to track books a reader started but didn’t finish. It’s often meant for personal tracking, not public judgment. ❦
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