On August 7, 2023, celebrated poet Richard Siken shared a surprising tweet about his own fanfiction writing experience, causing a stir among fandom communities. Siken, known for his influential work across various fandoms, revealed his involvement in fanfiction and his preference for certain pairings.

Referring to popular ships in the Supernatural and Sherlock fandoms, Siken tweeted, “I have tried it and my Destiel is better writing than my Wincest. My Johnlock is better than both.” This brought attention to his familiarity with fanfiction and his active participation in fandom.

Fan Fiction is transgressive. It co-opts the creator’s vision. It steps on it. It is fiction built on fiction. There can be no canon in it. I say do it, have at it. I have tried it and my Destiel is better writing than my Wincest. My Johnlock is better than both. 1/2 — Richard Siken (@richardsiken)

August 7, 2023

This revelation on what was formerly known as Twitter, now referred to as “X” due to a recent rebranding by CEO Elon Musk, sparked excitement among fans on platforms like Tumblr. Many were surprised to learn that Siken is alive and actively engaged in 21st-century fandom. In response, Siken reassured his followers that he is indeed alive and urged them to verify information before speculating.

Quick note:
I did not die 100 years ago and I did not die 4 years ago when I had my stroke. It’s okay to Google things, you don’t have to make them up. It’s also okay to quote an author, even use their lines, but you should know who they are and (hopefully) buy their books. — Richard Siken (@richardsiken)

August 10, 2023

However, Siken’s fondness for fanfiction is not new. In an interview with The Awl eight years ago, the poet discussed his love for shows like Sherlock and Supernatural, as well as his involvement in fandom. He embraced fanfiction and even interacted with fans on Tumblr, sharing edits and participating in discussions.

Following a severe stroke in 2019, Siken became less active on social media but recently returned to X in July 2023. After filling in for his popular Twitter bot, now called Siken Poems, he fully dived back into the chaos of fan culture. The tweets about Johnlock and Destiel were just the beginning.

First, are we still doing hashtags? And second, you can take any of my quotes and apply them to any fandom or picture and they will work because they are sad and mopey and full of longing. pic.twitter.com/0jE7ULkx8N

— Richard Siken (@richardsiken) August 9, 2023

Siken’s understanding of fandom culture and his poetry’s appeal to fan artists and writers is evident. He acknowledged that lines from his poetry can be attached to any fandom image or pairing due to their sad and mopey nature. To demonstrate this, he playfully recreated his famous lines in I Can Has Cheezburger speak, sharing cat pictures and encouraging others to do the same.

For anyone who has incorporated a Richard Siken quote into their fan creations or made posts about his poetry, there is a chance he has seen it. And based on his attitude, there is also a chance he was delighted by it.