diff --git a/api/message.go b/api/message.go
index f6c20c1..ef37adf 100644
--- a/api/message.go
+++ b/api/message.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
+	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
 	"github.com/go-chi/render"
@@ -69,16 +70,31 @@ func NewMessage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	var msg Message
-	err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&msg)
+	err := r.ParseForm()
 	if err != nil {
-		http.Error(w, "Invalid JSON", http.StatusBadRequest)
+		http.Error(w, "Unable to parse form", http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
 	}
 
-	msg.ID = newMessageID()
+	userIDStr := r.FormValue("user_id")
+	userID, err := strconv.ParseInt(userIDStr, 10, 64)
+	if err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, "Invalid user ID", http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+	body := r.FormValue("body")
 
-	msg.Timestamp = time.Now()
+	if body == "" {
+		http.Error(w, "Invalid body", http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+
+	msg := Message{
+		ID:        newMessageID(),
+		UserID:    userID,
+		Body:      body,
+		Timestamp: time.Now(),
+	}
 
 	err = dbAddMessage(&msg)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -86,6 +102,7 @@ func NewMessage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	render.Render(w, r, NewMessageResponse(&msg))
 }
 
 type messageKey struct{}
diff --git a/test_data/messages.json b/test_data/messages.json
index 683890d..2a80fe8 100644
--- a/test_data/messages.json
+++ b/test_data/messages.json
@@ -40,5 +40,23 @@
     "ID": "msg_60f70a47-3be2-4315-869a-d6f151ec262a",
     "Timestamp": "2025-03-24T15:01:07.14371835-04:00",
     "UserID": 1
+  },
+  {
+    "Body": "ababa abbott",
+    "ID": "msg_94cbc26d-9098-4fa9-bd21-794516c2263d",
+    "Timestamp": "2025-03-24T20:34:57.198849367-04:00",
+    "UserID": 1
+  },
+  {
+    "Body": "AAAAAA",
+    "ID": "msg_ca8483db-e823-45c4-882c-fe0930610ba9",
+    "Timestamp": "2025-03-24T21:17:04.350827576-04:00",
+    "UserID": 1
+  },
+  {
+    "Body": "i am a femboiiiii",
+    "ID": "msg_fcdbb48a-4ea5-4fb3-b925-3a15eb7c291c",
+    "Timestamp": "2025-03-24T21:27:48.565290147-04:00",
+    "UserID": 2
   }
 ]
\ No newline at end of file