Researchers and educators support the idea of providing authentic literacy experiences to students. However, a critical misconception of the locus of authenticity exists; the focus has generally been on making tasks authentic to college, careers, or researcher-determined notions of authenticity rather than making tasks authentic to students and their funds of knowledge. After making a case for redefining authenticity in education as subjective, I then present a grounded theory of authentic writing instruction derived from interviews of a diverse body of eighth grade students over two years. Results of this study indicate the need for instruction to include a choice of valued topics, an emphasis on expression instead of conventions, and the potential for writing to impact an intended, actual audience.