Why use a paid beta-reader, can’t my friends and family help for free?

You should definitely ask friends and family to read and review you writing!

It’s always great to get another perspective and opinion. However, your friends and family are the people who know you best and they will also know how hard you’ve worked on your writing. That can make it difficult for them to be critical and honest with you. They also probably have a lot on themselves and might take a long time to read your book and come back to you.

Also, unless they’re writers themselves they may not be able to provide you with the kind of constructive feedback you need to develop. As an experienced beta reader, I will not only identify issues but also suggest solutions and will provide feedback in a prompt and timely fashion.