2024 DNF Books List: Reading (or not) as a Writer
My relationship with unfinished books transformed this year. Previously, I felt obligated to complete every book I started, viewing it as a duty to both author and recommender. Most of these were non-fiction books that I gravitated towards while practicing law and getting my masters in psychology. I always had to finish them, no matter what.
That totally changed when I committed to take a couple years to write a novel, and confronted the finite nature of mortality against the infinite landscape of available fiction.
Reading as a writer, I now think harder about what makes me click with a book. What I am drawn to as a reader. And then how to bake into my own manuscript the things that entice me, and omit what turns me off.
I am sure I would love some of these novels if I had picked them up in a different mindset, but here are four popular 2024 books I had to put down, and why:
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (2024) - A contemporary novel examining intimacy and connection in the modern world. I got to 74% before I gave myself permission to quit as I just did not care what happened. Was it because the POV characters were male, or because they were unlikable, self-sabotaging babies? We will never know.
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange (2024) - I loved his first novel. I just could not get past the first 20 pages of this one, maybe because it felt too similar. It almost made me scared to dive into the backlist of other authors I love because if the books all share a muchness, the first one I read won’t seem as special to me. This makes me appreciate authors who explore diverse subject matters, as I plan to with my next manuscript.
Good Material by Dolly Alderton (2024) - I rarely read romances or rom-coms, and realized 10 pages in I definitely did not enjoy one from a male perspective. (A theme emerges here: Do I not enjoy male protagonists? I feel like I used to. Perhaps I am off them right now because my novel is all about women?) I toyed with the idea of adding a romance subplot to my work-in-progress but I would personally not want to read it — thus, it is coming right out!
Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman (2024) - I was so excited to read this because of the workplace dynamics and personal ambition themes (that I am also exploring in my novel), but I could not keep reading about a fictional Target/Walmart experience in a small town. WAY too close to home. I want to lose myself in something glamorous, magical, where wealthy people do fabulous and horrible things. This made me re-evaluate my original “corporate” workplace setting and turn it into a wellness jewelry start-up. I need more sparkle in my life if I’m going to spend hours with a book in bed, especially if it is about people working together.
What I've Learned About Reading and Writing
This year's reading journey taught me something crucial: the reader-book connection mirrors human relationships - sometimes the chemistry just isn't there, and that's okay, and it’s a lot about timing.
As I work on my own novel, I've embraced this reality: no book can resonate with every reader. Instead of chasing universal appeal, I'm focusing on creating something "unputdownable" by my own definition, incorporating the elements I've found most compelling in my year of intensive reading, and avoiding those that turned me off.
