: Re: Are "non-readers" useful beta readers? In my opinion, the best beta readers are fellow writers, partly because they may have insight others don't, but partly also because you can agree to trade

@Ogunnowo420

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Are “non-readers” useful beta readers?

from Amadeus answer

People that don't read, don't enjoy reading. They don't like that kind of fiction ... it is all bad from their POV because they aren't comfortable reading

If, in spite of that, they are willing to read your work, they may be your target audience.

If you are clearly writing a book for bookworms, don't bother with non readers. But if you are writing for mass appeal, trying to draw in readers that don't normally crack a book, you are writing a best seller; then you need to know what the 'common man' thinks of your writing.

The common man has an exponentially increasing choice of material to read. By necessity one must abandon long tomes unless they are a sole source of required information. These days, a summary is often considered good enough. Non readers will help you with your summary. So at least you can control that increasingly relevant part of your work.
Non-readers will show you where you lost them. It will be at an earlier point than bookworms and that has value. Non readers will show you where(not how) to be concise. Where they show interest, you can afford to indulge in sweet detail without boring them. I like that.

Be cautious what you absorb. Non readers will also show you how to be populist, crude, and unworthy of being read by those you actually respect.

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