A lot of us use beta readers to help us make sure we’ve hit all the right tropes. Find any slow, confusing or clunky bits and for general constructive feedback. They’re a failsafe, a link between author and reader to ensure what we’ve written will be well received by the reader. But on some rare occasions you might find your beta reader isn’t as shiny as you thought…
Has this ^^ happened to you?
This is why I always recommend using a professional content editor instead. Someone high end that has big trad publishing experience is best. Beta readers are usually not experts and do not really know how to make a book any better.
If you are going to use a beta reader, that is not a professional content editor, then take what they say with a grain of salt. I think the best thing to do is use 3 – 5. If one person doesn’t like something, usually you are better to ignore them. If 2 – 3 do, then you may have a problem that you need to look at. If all 5 do, then you’re in the shit.
Nice comic though : )