Your Reading Life Is Half Over
I was agonizing about not finishing a book. I am a finisher; at least, I am a finisher after I get past a certain point. If I’ve read 53%, I’m going to read the remaining 47%.
That’s where I was in a book. 53%. And wishing I was at 100%. Or at least 98%. It felt like such a waste of time to walk away from it, especially because the writing was beautiful. I kept highlighting phrases I enjoyed. But while I enjoyed the phrases, the book had no plot. It made me realize that author’s other two books also had no plot. So why did I enjoy those and not enjoy this one? Maybe the main character. I knew I would never want to spend time with her in real life.
I was complaining to my cousin. She pointed out that the DNF is your friend when your reading life is half over. Do I want to spend some of those remaining minutes on this book? A book that was making me feel like not reading?
No. I didn’t.
Onto the next story.
6 comments
EXACTLY! Good for you. It’s actually admirable to stop doing something that does not benefit you. Onward!
I used to be a “finisher” but after having my twins in early 2012, my time to read became much more limited, so I started to DNF any book that wasn’t holding my attention (unless it was a non-fiction title that was on a topic that I really wanted to learn more about). It is liberating.
I very rarely do not finish a book… but I’ve been more inclined to do so these past few years (or just not pick up a book that’s scheduled for one of my book clubs if it doesn’t really appeal — it’s okay to skip a month!). As you point out, life is just too damned short (and I have a few years on you! lol) and there are just too many other good books out there waiting to be read.
Yep. I used to always finish but why? Unless it is assigned for school (and I’m not a student so that’s not a thing right now) why am I doing something I don’t enjoy in my free time? I’m trying to pass this concept on to my daughters now because I definitely wasted time finishing books I didn’t enjoy when I was younger – and wish I had not.
I usually skip to and read the last chapter even when I DNF otherwise.
Yes, I used to be a finisher too, but no longer! Life is too short to read yo force ourselves to read books we don’t enjoy. Bring on the good books, the ones that fascinate us, or make us smile, or sigh sadly just because we have finished them.