diff --git a/message.go b/message.go
index 87ec26c..08cb0cd 100644
--- a/message.go
+++ b/message.go
@@ -20,7 +20,25 @@ func (m Message) String() string {
 		return m.Body
 	}
 	var builder strings.Builder
+	if !m.Chatter() {
+		builder.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("<%s", m.Dialect))
+		if len(m.ID) > 0 {
+			builder.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf(" %s=%q", "ch", m.ID))
+		}
+		for k, v := range m.Parameters {
+			builder.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf(" %s=%q", k, v))
+		}
+		if len(m.Body) > 0 {
+			builder.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf(">%s</%s>", m.Body, m.Dialect))
+		} else if m.ClosesChannel {
+			builder.WriteString(" />")
+		} else {
+			builder.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("></%s>", m.Dialect))
+		}
 
+	} else {
+		builder.WriteString(m.Body)
+	}
 	return builder.String()
 }
 
diff --git a/message_test.go b/message_test.go
index f8fc7b0..855fd74 100644
--- a/message_test.go
+++ b/message_test.go
@@ -5,41 +5,83 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
-var TheTestObjects = map[string]Message{
+type MessageWithNormalizedInput struct {
+	Message
+	NormalizedInput string
+}
+
+var TheTestObjects = map[string]MessageWithNormalizedInput{
 	"<dialect ch= '0'>This message is opening this channel.</dialect>": {
-		Dialect: "dialect",
-		ID:      "0",
-		Body:    "This message is opening this channel.",
+		Message: Message{
+			Dialect: "dialect",
+			ID:      "0",
+			Body:    "This message is opening this channel.",
+		},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dialect ch=\"0\">This message is opening this channel.</dialect>",
 	},
 	"<dialect ch ='0'></dialect>": {
-		Dialect: "dialect",
-		ID:      "0",
+		Message: Message{
+			Dialect: "dialect",
+			ID:      "0",
+		},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dialect ch=\"0\"></dialect>",
 	},
 	"<dialect ch='0'/>": {
-		Dialect:       "dialect",
-		ID:            "0",
-		ClosesChannel: true,
+		Message: Message{
+			Dialect:       "dialect",
+			ID:            "0",
+			ClosesChannel: true,
+		},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dialect ch=\"0\" />",
 	},
 	"<dialect ch = '0' ctrl='shutdown' />": {
-		Dialect:       "dialect",
-		ID:            "0",
-		ClosesChannel: true,
-		Parameters: map[string]string{
-			"ctrl": "shutdown",
+		Message: Message{
+			Dialect:       "dialect",
+			ID:            "0",
+			ClosesChannel: true,
+			Parameters: map[string]string{
+				"ctrl": "shutdown",
+			},
 		},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dialect ch=\"0\" ctrl=\"shutdown\" />",
+	},
+	"<dialect>Hello</dialect>": {
+		Message:         Message{Dialect: "dialect", Body: "Hello"},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dialect>Hello</dialect>",
 	},
-	"<dialect>Hello</dialect>": {Dialect: "dialect", Body: "Hello"},
-
 	"this is chatter": {
-		Body: "this is chatter",
+		Message:         Message{Body: "this is chatter"},
+		NormalizedInput: "this is chatter",
 	},
+	// // test anonymous messages
+	// `<dialect ctrl="heartbeat"></dialect>`: {
+
+	// },
 	// these are malformed
-	"<dialect ch=10 />":        {Body: "<dialect ch=10 />"},
-	"<dia":                     {Body: "<dia"},
-	"<dialect>Hello":           {Body: "<dialect>Hello"},
-	"<dialect>Hello<dialect>":  {Body: "<dialect>Hello<dialect>"},
-	"<dialect>Hello<dict>":     {Body: "<dialect>Hello<dict>"},
-	"<dialect>Hello<dial ect>": {Body: "<dialect>Hello<dial ect>"},
+	"<dialect ch=10 />": {
+		Message:         Message{Body: "<dialect ch=10 />"},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dialect ch=10 />",
+	},
+	"<dia": {
+		Message:         Message{Body: "<dia"},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dia",
+	},
+	"<dialect>Hello": {
+		Message:         Message{Body: "<dialect>Hello"},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dialect>Hello",
+	},
+	"<dialect>Hello<dialect>": {
+		Message:         Message{Body: "<dialect>Hello<dialect>"},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dialect>Hello<dialect>",
+	},
+	"<dialect>Hello<dict>": {
+		Message:         Message{Body: "<dialect>Hello<dict>"},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dialect>Hello<dict>",
+	},
+	"<dialect>Hello<dial ect>": {
+		Message:         Message{Body: "<dialect>Hello<dial ect>"},
+		NormalizedInput: "<dialect>Hello<dial ect>",
+	},
 }
 
 func TestParseMessage(t *testing.T) {
@@ -55,6 +97,10 @@ func TestParseMessage(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("error parsing %s: wanted parameters %+v; got %+v\n", input, wantOutput.Parameters, gotOutput.Parameters)
 		} else if want, got := wantOutput.ClosesChannel, gotOutput.ClosesChannel; want != got {
 			t.Fatalf("error parsing %s: wanted ClosesChannel=%v; got %v\n", input, want, got)
+		} else if want, got := wantOutput.NormalizedInput, gotOutput.String(); want != got {
+			t.Fatalf("error parsing %s: wanted %s; got %s\n", input, want, got)
+		} else if want, got := wantOutput.Anonymous(), gotOutput.Anonymous(); want != got {
+			t.Fatalf("error parsing %s: wanted anonymous=%v; got %v\n", input, want, got)
 		}
 	}
 }