In bedrooms across the country, a quiet revolution is taking place. Not on the streets, but on the nightstand, where a growing pile of partially read novels bears witness to a significant shift in reading habits. For many, this phenomenon known as 'DNF-ing' – book world shorthand for 'Did Not Finish' – is becoming less a source of shame and more a conscious choice in how we engage with literature.
The Changing Landscape of Reading
Author Hanna Thomas Uose recently revealed her own substantial collection of unfinished books: five physical novels by her bedside, 36 partially listened audiobooks on her phone, and 46 abandoned ebooks on her Kindle. This doesn't even include the advance copies accumulating since she became a published novelist herself. At first glance, these statistics might appear to support recent comments by renowned crime writer Ian Rankin, who suggested that literature must adapt to changing attention spans fragmented by social media and the relentless news cycle.
However, Uose presents a compelling counter-argument. As someone who previously felt compelled to finish every book she started, she now considers putting down an unengaging book a form of 'human right'. This shift in perspective stems not from diminished concentration, but from a heightened awareness of life's finite nature and the overwhelming abundance of literary choices available today.
The Philosophy Behind Intentional Reading
The Benedictine teaching to 'keep death daily before your eyes' and Oliver Burkeman's stark reminder that we each have approximately 4,000 weeks on Earth have profoundly influenced Uose's approach to reading. In an era where mind-blowing works of art are instantly accessible, the real challenge becomes intentionality in how we direct our attention. Could DNF-ing actually signal a discerning mind rather than a weak one?
This question becomes particularly relevant considering that publishing and commissioning remain dominated by certain social classes and their specific concerns. While reading about different experiences can build empathy, readers also seek reflections of their own lives and places in the world. Until bookshelves better represent the diverse identities and concerns of potential readers, maintaining attention may prove challenging for many.
Literature's Evolution and Future Forms
Some contemporary authors are already successfully adapting to modern reading patterns. Works like Patricia Lockwood's No One Is Talking About This with its tweet-length prose, Jenny Offill's fragmented Dept. of Speculation, and Chris Whitaker's short-chaptered All the Colours of the Dark demonstrate the power of concise forms. Conventional writing advice emphasises strong opening sentences, compelling first chapters, and escalating stakes – all sensible guidance when agents, publishers, and readers make quick decisions about whether to continue reading.
Yet Uose acknowledges that understanding sometimes requires patience. She advocates for allowing writers the grace to meander, layer, and digress until they reach something truthful. Jane Alison, in her craft book Meander, Spiral, Explode, argues for novels finding new forms beyond the traditional dramatic arc, suggesting that alternative patterns might help narratives feel more vital and authentic.
Both Rankin and Alison essentially agree that the novel must continue evolving, just as it has since emerging in its modern form during the 18th century. Future authors might follow Charles Dickens and Helen Fielding in serialising their work, perhaps through digital platforms like Wattpad, which attracts over 90 million monthly users. Art forms naturally change with the times, and literature should be no exception.
However, Uose cautions against attributing all changes solely to shorter attention spans. If that were truly the case, short story collections and flash fiction would be considered much more commercially viable than they currently are. Following this argument to its logical conclusion might suggest not writing at all – surrendering to VR and AI-generated content in the battle for attention. This is unlikely what Rankin, or most writers and readers, genuinely want.
The real concern for many authors, including Uose herself, lies in how the 'modern attention span' affects their ability to write rather than read. As literature continues to transform, the act of DNF-ing may represent not failure but conscious choice – a thoughtful approach to the glorious, overwhelming abundance of stories available to contemporary readers.
