What Does DNF Mean in Book Terms?

We can all run into problems when reading. Sometimes, we may not get on with the subject matter; other times, the characters or writing style might throw us right off. Regardless of the reason, however, there are times when we just can’t seem to get through a book.

Reading something cover to cover is a commitment to say the least. But if you can’t remember a time when you actually finished a book, you wouldn’t be alone. In a recent study held by WordsRated that investigated adult reading habits in the US, nearly 52% of those asked had not finished a book in the last year!

Read on to find out more about ‘DNF’ing books and how to overcome this sticking point.

Demystifying DNF

Simply put, ‘DNF’ is an acronym used by keen readers to signify that they ‘Did Not Finish’ a certain title for whatever reason. This may be down to the book itself or their own personal reasons — illness, lack of time, or so on. For people who read a lot and like to review or keep track of the titles they encounter, ‘DNF’ is a handy way to record when they didn’t finish a book on their list.

If you have a ‘TBR’ (another acronym for you), that’s a ‘To Be Read’ list, you may well want to mark the books you finish (or don’t) efficiently, even giving them scores.

Just because a book is marked as ‘DNF’ doesn’t mean it’s to be completely disregarded, however. Many readers choose to just de-prioritise it for now and come back to it at a later date, especially if it’s a story they were enjoying but just can’t seem to make good headway with.

A desk overflowing with books and papers

Why can’t I finish my book?

Does the end of your novel seem out of reach? Longing to turn that sweet, sweet final page? It’s frustrating when you just can’t seem to gain traction in the book you’re reading. But, if you try to figure out why you’re not making progress with the book, it can be easier to do something about it.

Some of the reasons below may help you pinpoint exactly where your struggle lies, making it easier to avoid that DNF label.

1. The wrong attitude

One of the most common mistakes we make as readers is pressuring ourselves to read. Reading against the clock or holding ourselves too closely to unrealistic reading goals can actually do more harm than good and has been sucking the fun out of reading for years now.

Ask yourself, honestly, why you want to read the book you’re reading — and if it’s to meet a quota or simply just to say you’ve read it, then you may not be reading it for the right reasons.

There are so many entertaining, enlightening, and even life-changing reads out there. So, we urge you not to waste your time trawling through titles you think you should read when you could be lapping up or learning from a different book entirely and feeling all the better for it.

2. The wrong genre

Similarly, if you’re struggling to get through a book, it may well be because it’s not the right genre for you. Do you feel like you have a dogged devotion to sci-fi but you don’t really enjoy it? Are you only reading a book because you’ve never read anything different or outside this genre? Then that might be what’s slowing you down.

3. Lifestyle factors

One of the biggest blockers to finishing a book? Making time to do so. While it sounds obvious, it is shocking how many of us hypocritically complain that we ‘never read’ while simultaneously never sitting down and making time to read.

From overcommitting on social activities to keeping calendars full and never scheduling in ‘downtime’, there are a plethora of reasons why books grow dusty on the shelves — another one being smartphones.

How many times have you sat down to read, had a cautionary check of your social media on your phone first, and then 2 hours have passed without you so much as touching the book? We’re not judging — we’ve all done it.

The point is, f you want to read more, you’ll have to be a bit more proactive and actually carve out time in your day, week, or every month for reading,

For more help with this point, check out our ‘Tips for a Reading Slump’ blog.

A person flicking through open books on the floor

Page-turners to read from cover to cover

So, you want to give the whole cover-to-cover thing a proper go this time? The following list of titles contains some popular page-turners that are bound to keep you buried in a book for as long as possible.

Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn (2012)
The Book Thief, Markus Zusak (2005)
Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card (1985)
Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens (2018)
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson (2005)
The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown (2003)
And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie (1939)
A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini (2007)

For more suggestions, get inspired with our top-rated and latest reviews pages.