The number of ways to construct an autobiography is about as diverse as the number of people who write them. However, there are some simple items that you can include in your autobiography that will make it both personal and meaningful to others.

1. Tell Your Story Honestly.

Everyone believes he's honest. Trouble is that we all tend to exaggerate our lives. Choose honesty from the get-go. Your audience will appreciate and you will respect yourself in the morning.

2. Let You Shine Through

We all experience times in our lives when we would rather be someone else. Now is not the time to try and be someone else. You want to preserve an accurate reflection of your personality.

It's you they want to learn about. Not someone else.

3. Let the Audience Know Your Why

Of course, you should have a why. This makes it easier to continue with the writing. It also lets your audience in on your reasons. You can explicitly express it, or you can let it show through in between the lines of what you write.

In his famous autobiography, Benjamin Franklin stated 11 reasons for recording his life:

He enjoyed collecting stories about his forbearers.

He hopes that others will get some benefit from his words.

To help others see how he overcame his impoverished childhood and created riches for himself.

He wants to describe how he found happiness.

He examines his life for anything he would do differently.

Revisiting one's life is the next best thing to living it again.

Make the autobiography "durable." He wants it to persist.

He wants gratify himself.

He wishes to tell others of God's workings in his life.

He wants to explain that his success can be reversed.

Perhaps one of Benjamin Frankin's reasons struck a nerve with you. If one did, use it. If not, be sure to find your Why. This is one of the most important of the autobiography characteristics. You'll need it to work through the slow times.

4. Know Your Audience

Chances are that someone will read your autobiography someday (if you write it.) Who do you want to write for? If that person were present what would you tell him? Benjamin Franklin's autobiography is one of the most read autobiographies because he recognized that his audience was wider than himself or even his son.

Of course, your autobiography probably won't be read by millions. But who will read it? Your children? Your grandchildren? Their children? Think about that.

5. Know Where Your Headed

How have the events of your life molded you? Do you want to show how good your life was? Or maybe how bad you had it? Do you want to share just a portion of your life? Just an event? The directions are many - choose one and go with it.

To Sum It Up:

1. Tell Your Story Honestly.

2. Sound Like You

3. Find Your Why

4. Know Your Audience

5. Choose a focus

By incorporating these traits into your autobiography, you will write your story in such a way that people will want to read it.

Go out and create your story!