First person to third person in precis?
 

I read this among the rules of precis writing on a website:

"Precis is always written in the third person: If the author has used the autobiographical form of narration or description, you should change the form. You should begin your precis with 'The author says...' Secondly, you should avoid the use of direct speech in your precis. The use of indirect speech will make it more compact. Be careful of all the rules of indirect speech if the original passage is in direct speech."

Is that really so?

Yes