diff --git a/capnp/capnp.pyx b/capnp/capnp.pyx
index 8ef44ca..12d10b9 100644
--- a/capnp/capnp.pyx
+++ b/capnp/capnp.pyx
@@ -525,10 +525,46 @@ cdef class _DynamicStructBuilder:
     """
     cdef C_DynamicStruct.Builder thisptr
     cdef public object _parent
-    cdef _init(self, C_DynamicStruct.Builder other, object parent):
+    cdef bint _isRoot
+    cdef _init(self, C_DynamicStruct.Builder other, object parent, bint isRoot = False):
         self.thisptr = other
         self._parent = parent
+        self._isRoot = isRoot
         return self
+    
+    def writeTo(self, file):
+        """Writes the struct's containing message to the given file object in unpacked binary format.
+        
+        This is a shortcut for calling capnp.writeMessageToFd().  This can only be called on the
+        message's root struct.
+        
+        :type file: file
+        :param file: A file or socket object (or anything with a fileno() method), open for write.
+        
+        :rtype: void
+        
+        :Raises: :exc:`exceptions.ValueError` if this isn't the message's root struct.
+        """
+        if not self._isRoot:
+            raise ValueError("You can only call writeTo() on the message's root struct.")
+        writeMessageToFd(file.fileno(), self._parent)
+
+    def writePackedTo(self, file):
+        """Writes the struct's containing message to the given file object in packed binary format.
+        
+        This is a shortcut for calling capnp.writePackedMessageToFd().  This can only be called on
+        the message's root struct.
+        
+        :type file: file
+        :param file: A file or socket object (or anything with a fileno() method), open for write.
+        
+        :rtype: void
+        
+        :Raises: :exc:`exceptions.ValueError` if this isn't the message's root struct.
+        """
+        if not self._isRoot:
+            raise ValueError("You can only call writeTo() on the message's root struct.")
+        writePackedMessageToFd(file.fileno(), self._parent)
 
     cdef _get(self, field) except +ValueError:
         return toPython(self.thisptr.get(field), self._parent)
@@ -892,6 +928,18 @@ cdef class SchemaParser:
                 proto = schema.getProto()
                 if proto.isStruct:
                     local_module.schema = schema.asStruct()
+                    def readFrom(file):
+                        reader = StreamFdMessageReader(file.fileno())
+                        return reader.getRoot(local_module)
+                    def readPackedFrom(file):
+                        reader = PackedFdMessageReader(file.fileno())
+                        return reader.getRoot(local_module)
+                    def newMessage():
+                        builder = MallocMessageBuilder()
+                        return builder.initRoot(local_module)
+                    local_module.readFrom = readFrom
+                    local_module.readPackedFrom = readPackedFrom
+                    local_module.newMessage = newMessage
                 elif proto.isConst:
                     module.__dict__[node.name] = schema.asConstValue()
 
@@ -943,7 +991,7 @@ cdef class MessageBuilder:
             s = schema.schema
         else:
             s = schema
-        return _DynamicStructBuilder()._init(self.thisptr.initRootDynamicStruct(s.thisptr), self)
+        return _DynamicStructBuilder()._init(self.thisptr.initRootDynamicStruct(s.thisptr), self, True)
 
     cpdef getRoot(self, schema):
         """A method for instantiating Cap'n Proto structs, from an already pre-written buffer
@@ -968,7 +1016,7 @@ cdef class MessageBuilder:
             s = schema.schema
         else:
             s = schema
-        return _DynamicStructBuilder()._init(self.thisptr.getRootDynamicStruct(s.thisptr), self)
+        return _DynamicStructBuilder()._init(self.thisptr.getRootDynamicStruct(s.thisptr), self, True)
     
     cpdef setRoot(self, value):
         """A method for instantiating Cap'n Proto structs by copying from an existing struct
diff --git a/test/test_regression.py b/test/test_regression.py
index f19683e..1a896ad 100644
--- a/test/test_regression.py
+++ b/test/test_regression.py
@@ -266,16 +266,14 @@ def check_all_types(reader):
     check_list(reader.enumList, ["foo", "garply"])
 
 def test_build(all_types):
-    builder = capnp.MallocMessageBuilder()
-    root = builder.getRoot(all_types.TestAllTypes)
+    root = all_types.TestAllTypes.newMessage()
     init_all_types(root)
     expectedText = open(os.path.join(this_dir, 'all-types.txt'), 'r').read()
     assert str(root) + '\n' == expectedText
 
 def test_binary_read(all_types):
     f = open(os.path.join(this_dir, 'all-types.binary'), 'r')
-    message = capnp.StreamFdMessageReader(f.fileno())
-    root = message.getRoot(all_types.TestAllTypes)
+    root = all_types.TestAllTypes.readFrom(f)
     check_all_types(root)
 
     expectedText = open(os.path.join(this_dir, 'all-types.txt'), 'r').read()
@@ -292,9 +290,22 @@ def test_binary_read(all_types):
 
 def test_packed_read(all_types):
     f = open(os.path.join(this_dir, 'all-types.packed'), 'r')
-    message = capnp.PackedFdMessageReader(f.fileno())
-    root = message.getRoot(all_types.TestAllTypes)
+    root = all_types.TestAllTypes.readPackedFrom(f)
     check_all_types(root)
 
     expectedText = open(os.path.join(this_dir, 'all-types.txt'), 'r').read()
     assert str(root) + '\n' == expectedText
+
+def test_binary_write(all_types):
+    root = all_types.TestAllTypes.newMessage()
+    init_all_types(root)
+    root.writeTo(open('example', 'w'))
+
+    check_all_types(all_types.TestAllTypes.readFrom(open('example', 'r')))
+
+def test_packed_write(all_types):
+    root = all_types.TestAllTypes.newMessage()
+    init_all_types(root)
+    root.writePackedTo(open('example', 'w'))
+
+    check_all_types(all_types.TestAllTypes.readPackedFrom(open('example', 'r')))