writingwhatsnow

Maybe it’s not time yet.

Do you know about Nancy Pearl’s Rule of 50? It says to stop reading the book if it doesn’t spark your interest after reaching the first 50 pages. Debatable, yes. You’ll never know when the plot starts to pick up. But having discernment to continue or stop when reaching a certain mark makes sense.

This polarizes people, especially if you’re a firm believer of the classic “to finish what you start.” I see the opposite as a more practical approach: “to shelve what’s not your cup of tea” paired with “not beat yourself over it.”

Because these days, people have a more convoluted relationship with reading, where it’s all about making an impressive reading list, and with productivity, where DNF-ing (Did Not Finish) equals failure of a read. But trudge long enough through a book, and it may lead to a reading slump, which is worse. Reading for enjoyment is king, still. It’s the most earnest preserving act, so you don’t end up hating a hobby you used to love.

The older I get, the more I believe that consuming any form of media or literature, especially the ones closest to your heart, comes with great timing. A movie could tick all the boxes objectively: cinematography, film scoring, actors, directors, plot, writing. Execution is perfect, but each factor is just one piece of a whole pie. Emotional impact makes the biggest dent.

Young students reading The Midnight Library may start their love for reading. Friends watching White Chicks together for old time’s sake may be in it for a few good laughs. A woman listening to (I Can See) The Future by Leith Ross may just be the catharsis she needs post-breakup. A law student stumbling upon To Kill a Mockingbird may just be the message she needs to remind her she’s on the right track.

Not finishing a book doesn’t mean it’s badly written. Most of the time, it might not just be palatable in your current state. Humans always try to find a reflection of themselves in something, and that’s where relatability comes in. An almost five-star novel on Goodreads may be someone’s first book slump of the year, but an average three-star movie on Letterboxd may just be someone’s all-time top four. The reason would always be personal. It could be a question answered, a release, a realization, a lesson, a warning.

So it’s okay to put that book down. It may be for you or not at all. If it’s the former, it will meet you again at the right time.