Speaking from notes or an outline

Speaking from notes or an outline made from the written text might be the best way to deliver a good speech. At least, it's a good middle ground between reading and speaking without notes.

I want to stress that speaking from notes or an outline does not mean that you don't need to write the speech word for word and edit it thoroughly. The reasons for writing the speech are valid no matter how you deliver it. For starters, you can use the written text as the basis for the outline from which you will speak. Do not make the mistake of assuming that this is the same as the outline you make before you begin to write a speech.