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Q&A Are "non-readers" useful beta readers?

Are “non-readers” useful beta readers? I don't think so. People that don't read, don't enjoy reading. They don't like that kind of fiction, they don't know what is good and bad, it is all bad ...

posted 6y ago by Amadeus‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-19T22:13:26Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/36688
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T09:01:17Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/36688
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T09:01:17Z (almost 5 years ago)
> Are “non-readers” useful beta readers?

I don't think so. People that don't read, don't enjoy reading. They don't like that kind of fiction, they don't know what is good and bad, it is all bad from their POV because they aren't comfortable reading for that long, they need glasses they don't have (I know **_three_** people that don't read because it hurts their eyes, because they haven't gotten new glasses in over ten years). They don't have the time. And if they stopped reading on page 20, you don't know if this is because they reached their limit of tolerance there or the story bored them there.

The only people qualified to judge your book are people that like fiction, that have at least at **some time** in their lives, consumed a lot of novels.

You might as well be asking kindergarten kids for advice on a good romantic place to go on a third date. No matter how enthusiastic their advice, they don't know what they are talking about.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-06-03T19:51:55Z (over 6 years ago)
Original score: 7