diff --git a/src/DrawTogether.Actors/DrawTogether.Actors.csproj b/src/DrawTogether.Actors/DrawTogether.Actors.csproj
index b36c12a..01a77b1 100644
--- a/src/DrawTogether.Actors/DrawTogether.Actors.csproj
+++ b/src/DrawTogether.Actors/DrawTogether.Actors.csproj
@@ -19,4 +19,9 @@
       <ProjectReference Include="..\DrawTogether.Entities\DrawTogether.Entities.csproj" />
     </ItemGroup>
 
+    <ItemGroup>
+      <None Remove="Serialization\Proto\DrawingProtocol.proto" />
+      <Protobuf Include="Serialization\Proto\DrawingProtocol.proto" />
+    </ItemGroup>
+
 </Project>
diff --git a/src/DrawTogether.Actors/Serialization/DrawingProtocolSerializer.cs b/src/DrawTogether.Actors/Serialization/DrawingProtocolSerializer.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41325d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/DrawTogether.Actors/Serialization/DrawingProtocolSerializer.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+using Akka.Actor;
+using Akka.Serialization;
+using DrawTogether.Entities.Drawings;
+using DrawTogether.Entities.Drawings.Messages;
+
+namespace DrawTogether.Actors.Serialization;
+
+public sealed class DrawingProtocolSerializer : SerializerWithStringManifest
+{
+    // generate manifests for all classes that implement the IWithDrawingSessionId interface - keep them to 2 or 3 characters in length
+    private const string StrokeAddedManifest = "sa";
+    private const string StrokeRemovedManifest = "sr";
+    private const string StrokesClearedManifest = "sc";
+    private const string UserAddedManifest = "ua";
+    private const string UserRemovedManifest = "ur";
+    private const string DrawingSessionClosedManifest = "dc";
+    private const string GetDrawingSessionStateManifest = "gs";
+    private const string GetDrawingSessionUsersManifest = "gu";
+    private const string SubscribeToDrawingSessionManifest = "su";
+    private const string SubscribeAcknowledgedManifest = "sak";
+    private const string UnsubscribeFromDrawingSessionManifest = "uu";
+    private const string UnsubscribeAcknowledgedManifest = "uak";
+    private const string AddStrokeManifest = "as";
+    private const string RemoveStrokeManifest = "rs";
+    private const string ClearStrokesManifest = "cs";
+    private const string AddUserManifest = "au";
+    private const string RemoveUserManifest = "ru";
+    private const string DrawingActivityUpdateManifest = "da";
+    private const string DrawingSessionStateManifest = "ds";
+    
+    public DrawingProtocolSerializer(ExtendedActorSystem system) : base(system)
+    {
+    }
+
+    public override byte[] ToBinary(object obj)
+    {
+        throw new NotImplementedException();
+    }
+
+
+    public override object FromBinary(byte[] bytes, string manifest)
+    {
+        throw new NotImplementedException();
+    }
+
+    public override string Manifest(object o)
+    {
+        // return the constant string value for the manifest
+        return o switch
+        {
+            IDrawingSessionEvent => GetManifestForEvent(o),
+            IDrawingSessionCommand => GetManifestForCommand(o),
+            IDrawingSessionQuery => GetManifestForQuery(o),
+            DrawingSessionState => DrawingSessionStateManifest,
+            _ => throw new ArgumentException($"Can't serialize object of type {o.GetType()}")
+        };
+    }
+    
+   
+
+    private static string GetManifestForQuery(object o)
+    {
+        return o switch
+        {
+            DrawingSessionQueries.GetDrawingSessionState => GetDrawingSessionStateManifest,
+            DrawingSessionQueries.GetDrawingSessionUsers => GetDrawingSessionUsersManifest,
+            DrawingSessionQueries.SubscribeToDrawingSession => SubscribeToDrawingSessionManifest,
+            DrawingSessionQueries.SubscribeAcknowledged => SubscribeAcknowledgedManifest,
+            DrawingSessionQueries.UnsubscribeFromDrawingSession => UnsubscribeFromDrawingSessionManifest,
+            DrawingSessionQueries.UnsubscribeAcknowledged => UnsubscribeAcknowledgedManifest,
+            _ => throw new ArgumentException($"Can't serialize object of type {o.GetType()}")
+        };
+    }
+
+    private static string GetManifestForCommand(object o)
+    {
+        return o switch
+        {
+            DrawingSessionCommands.AddStroke => AddStrokeManifest,
+            DrawingSessionCommands.RemoveStroke => RemoveStrokeManifest,
+            DrawingSessionCommands.ClearStrokes => ClearStrokesManifest,
+            DrawingSessionCommands.AddUser => AddUserManifest,
+            DrawingSessionCommands.RemoveUser => RemoveUserManifest,
+            _ => throw new ArgumentException($"Can't serialize object of type {o.GetType()}")
+        };
+    }
+
+    private static string GetManifestForEvent(object o)
+    {
+        return o switch
+        {
+            DrawingSessionEvents.StrokeAdded => StrokeAddedManifest,
+            DrawingSessionEvents.StrokeRemoved => StrokeRemovedManifest,
+            DrawingSessionEvents.StrokesCleared => StrokesClearedManifest,
+            DrawingSessionEvents.UserAdded => UserAddedManifest,
+            DrawingSessionEvents.UserRemoved => UserRemovedManifest,
+            DrawingSessionEvents.DrawingSessionClosed => DrawingSessionClosedManifest,
+            DrawingActivityUpdate => DrawingActivityUpdateManifest,
+            _ => throw new ArgumentException($"Can't serialize object of type {o.GetType()}")
+        };
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file