I felt that part about DNFing. I feel like I'm doing myself a disservice by not finishing a book, as if I'll miss some pivotal moment where everything will come together to form a satisfying read. But perhaps I just need to cut my losses sometimes to read something I don't need to force myself to enjoy.
Definitely vibing with this take having just come off reading a couple posts and their comments seeming to denounce modern writing for not being the sweeping literary masterpieces of olde…the ones that make so many of our eyelids droop. (The word “woke” was used many times and unironically. I should have left before I did but I try to keep an open mind to different viewpoints. So forgive me if I find myself rambling here in an attempt to recover from that experience.)
I fully support the idea that we should read what we find enjoyment in, and resonate with. Who cares if that’s manga, fanfic, smutty romantacy, or War and Peace? Our time is too precious to slog through something merely because we’re told we should and especially since we won’t get anything out of it if we can’t be present with it.
I myself have a random collection of many of the classics in paperback, and occasionally I’ll pick one up if it’s calling to me. But mostly I only have them because I feel like I “should” read them someday. The more time that goes by, it becomes highly unlikely I ever will.
And I’m slowly releasing built up guilt over that. Reading fiction is not meant to be a chore.
Love love this! Read because you love to read, not because you have to. I think it's also important to remember that some books in a genre might work for you, but that doesn't mean all do! I'm not a big literary fic girl, but I've found by giving myself time to trial and error, I've found some great reads - but that doesn't necessarily mean I have to love everything adjacent to it.
Everything about this!! There are so many books that Bookstagram had convinced me I “should” read only for me to drag my way through them. More books that bring joy in 2025 please!
I have always been a big fan of DNF! Especially guilty of checking out nonfiction books I mean to read but never open because I get distracted by a rom com or silly murder mystery series.
Love all of these tips!! To get over my DNF hurdle I've started saying "DNFY" ... did not finish.... yet... Somehow removing the finality of it made it less high stakes for me.
‘We read books we *think* we should be reading’ - that’s some valuable insight! I’m not a person who DNF her books, mostly because I’m curious about how the storyline even though I don’t enjoy it. I guess I have to learn how to put down these books and use the time on the books I really enjoy. Happy reading📖💕
I love this post, MacKenzie! A few years ago, one of my bookish goals was to remove the word "should" from my reading life and it's improved my reading so much!
I couldn't relate with a post more...ahem, Ernest Hemingway is the worst! I also agree that your tastes in reading evolve so much. Before becoming a mom, I loved a serial killer/murder book. But now I can't stand them. Give me a strong female lead in a fantasy or realistic fiction, and I'm hooked.
Wow really needed to read that DNF paragraph today bc I don’t know if I can keep going with my current book. It’s really not doing it for me
I’m glad this hit! Put aside for now, and if you’re still interested, pick it back up… or leave it :)
I wholeheartedly agree. Once I admitted I loved romances and books centered on female stories, my world opened up!
Right?! And stupid categorizing them as ‘guilty pleasures’!! It’s also made my reading so much more joyful
SO much more joyful. I tapped into my inner child fr!!!!
I felt that part about DNFing. I feel like I'm doing myself a disservice by not finishing a book, as if I'll miss some pivotal moment where everything will come together to form a satisfying read. But perhaps I just need to cut my losses sometimes to read something I don't need to force myself to enjoy.
I think it’s about finding the balance of when to finish or not. And as someone else in the comments put it, maybe its a ‘do not finish… yet’!
Definitely vibing with this take having just come off reading a couple posts and their comments seeming to denounce modern writing for not being the sweeping literary masterpieces of olde…the ones that make so many of our eyelids droop. (The word “woke” was used many times and unironically. I should have left before I did but I try to keep an open mind to different viewpoints. So forgive me if I find myself rambling here in an attempt to recover from that experience.)
I fully support the idea that we should read what we find enjoyment in, and resonate with. Who cares if that’s manga, fanfic, smutty romantacy, or War and Peace? Our time is too precious to slog through something merely because we’re told we should and especially since we won’t get anything out of it if we can’t be present with it.
I myself have a random collection of many of the classics in paperback, and occasionally I’ll pick one up if it’s calling to me. But mostly I only have them because I feel like I “should” read them someday. The more time that goes by, it becomes highly unlikely I ever will.
And I’m slowly releasing built up guilt over that. Reading fiction is not meant to be a chore.
I’m so glad this resonated with you!
YOU KNOW WHAT, I DO LOVE MANGA!!!!! AND I DO LOVE READING!!!!!!!!!!
:)
All of this!! I have so many more books to read rather than trudging through a book that doesn’t do it for me!
Right!? Gotta give space for the books that we do love
Love love this! Read because you love to read, not because you have to. I think it's also important to remember that some books in a genre might work for you, but that doesn't mean all do! I'm not a big literary fic girl, but I've found by giving myself time to trial and error, I've found some great reads - but that doesn't necessarily mean I have to love everything adjacent to it.
100%!! It’s kind of how I feel about finding my way back to romance after knowing what didn’t work!!
Everything about this!! There are so many books that Bookstagram had convinced me I “should” read only for me to drag my way through them. More books that bring joy in 2025 please!
It’s hard not to get sucked in!! 2025 is gonna be the year of removing ‘should’ from my reading vocabulary !!!
I have always been a big fan of DNF! Especially guilty of checking out nonfiction books I mean to read but never open because I get distracted by a rom com or silly murder mystery series.
Ooh yeah, I tend to like nonfiction more on audio! Less likely to fall asleep LOL
Love all of these tips!! To get over my DNF hurdle I've started saying "DNFY" ... did not finish.... yet... Somehow removing the finality of it made it less high stakes for me.
I LOVE that approach!
‘We read books we *think* we should be reading’ - that’s some valuable insight! I’m not a person who DNF her books, mostly because I’m curious about how the storyline even though I don’t enjoy it. I guess I have to learn how to put down these books and use the time on the books I really enjoy. Happy reading📖💕
I struggle with DNF-ing books, too! I’m working on this bigtime this year and being mindful about when to keep reading and when to let it go (a WIP!!)
I love this post, MacKenzie! A few years ago, one of my bookish goals was to remove the word "should" from my reading life and it's improved my reading so much!
I couldn't relate with a post more...ahem, Ernest Hemingway is the worst! I also agree that your tastes in reading evolve so much. Before becoming a mom, I loved a serial killer/murder book. But now I can't stand them. Give me a strong female lead in a fantasy or realistic fiction, and I'm hooked.