Not every book is worth finishing.
We've all been there before, a couple of chapters in and you just cannot immerse yourself in your latest book. Your to-do list starts creeping in because you can't focus on the story and you're getting irritated. But you weren't raised to be a quitter! So you grit through it and are relieved when you finally get to that last page.
I'm here to tell you that doesn't have to be the way...it is totally OKAY to DNF a book, in fact this post is here to encourage it. Read on for 6 reasons you should put a book down and move on.
1. You're in a Book Slump
When you're trying to get into a reading routine, or have been struggling to find your next series, forcing yourself to read a book is not going to help your book slump. It may even make it worse in the end. Do yourself a favor and fight your slump with a book you actually want to read!
Find tips about getting out of your reading slump in my blog post here.
2. Reading Time is Limited
If your life is anything like mine these days, I'm scheduled down to the minute trying to fit everything in. My checklists are color-coordinated and often refer to other separate checklists with their own hierarchy system!
Being limited in how many hours I have a week to read makes me guard that time fiercely. I refuse to waste precious 'me time' with a book that is rubbing me the wrong way. You owe it to yourself to find a book that is worth slotting into a tight schedule.
3. You Missed the Trigger Warnings
Look, it happens. As careful as authors are to list trigger warnings for their work these days, sometimes readers just don't pay attention. Or, we fail to realize something is triggering to us personally until after we start the book.
Be kind to yourself, stop reading something that pushes past your boundaries, whatever they are.
4. Writing Style Mismatch
Chances are, if you don't like the writing style at the beginning of the book, you aren't going to magically like it by the end of the book. Authors have a vast array of options to put together a story, from a first, second, or third-person point of view to present or past tense. There are so many ways to write, obviously, one reader's preference can be different from another.
If you can't stand how the story is being told, it is okay to say that particular book isn't for you.
5. Grammatical errors
We are incredibly privileged to be living in a time when just about anyone can write a book and publish it for others to read. Gutenberg had no idea where his little invention was going to go that's for sure!
The downside to this access is the glut of self-published books available that could have used an editor's touch. Now before anyone starts to throw rocks at me, I'm ALL FOR indie authors and self-publishers. But, if the number of errors is great enough to distract, it makes it very hard to enjoy the story.
6. Literally any other reason
Seriously, you can always DFN a book for any reason other than those that I’ve listed. Yep, any reason at all. There are so many books out in the world, no one should be wasting their time on one that makes reading painful.
For those that need it, I give you permission. If you don't like what you are reading, put the book down and pick up a different one!
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