This document discusses two methods for reporting speech: direct speech and indirect (or reported) speech. Direct speech uses quotation marks to report a speaker's exact words, while indirect speech reports the general idea without quotation marks and can involve changing pronouns and verb tenses. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages - direct speech can engage readers but long passages can bore them, while indirect speech keeps the pace moving but loses the speaker's precise words. Overall, the document recommends using indirect speech primarily and reserving direct speech for emphasis of key points in a character's dialogue.