The paper reveals distinctions between a literary autograph-graffito and a profane one. Of no less significance are distinctions between an author’s real and fictional graffiti. The paper analyzes different types of graffiti-autographs of Russian writers, above all fictional ones that have become elements of the author's text. Fictional graffiti, both prophane ones and those written by the author, become elements of literary works, travel notes, and are represented in the author’s letters. Graffiti are primarily encountered in the works by travelling authors and avant-garde poets of the early twentieth century. Real graffiti devised by the author and described by him in the text interact with one another, forming the basis for mystifying the readers and addressees. The functional role of graffiti is also played by the etimon of the author's name, inscribed by the author into the text, particularly at the borders of the text of the work.