diff --git a/src/ell/py.typed b/src/ell/py.typed
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/src/ell/types/message.py b/src/ell/types/message.py
index d55302ed..7bc61e6a 100644
--- a/src/ell/types/message.py
+++ b/src/ell/types/message.py
@@ -7,18 +7,19 @@
 from io import BytesIO
 from PIL import Image as PILImage
 
-from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field, model_validator, field_validator, field_serializer
+from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, model_validator, field_serializer
 from sqlmodel import Field
 
 from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor, as_completed
 
-from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Literal, Optional, Type, Union
+from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Optional, Union
 
 from ell.util.serialization import serialize_image
 _lstr_generic = Union[_lstr, str]
 InvocableTool = Callable[..., Union["ToolResult", _lstr_generic, List["ContentBlock"], ]]
 
-
+# AnyContent represents any type that can be passed to Message.
+AnyContent = Union["ContentBlock", str, "ToolCall", "ToolResult", "ImageContent", np.ndarray, PILImage.Image, BaseModel]
 
 
 class ToolResult(BaseModel):
@@ -178,7 +179,7 @@ def content(self):
         return getattr(self, self.type)
 
     @classmethod
-    def coerce(cls, content: Union["ContentBlock", str, ToolCall, ToolResult, ImageContent, np.ndarray, PILImage.Image, BaseModel]) -> "ContentBlock":
+    def coerce(cls, content: AnyContent) -> "ContentBlock":
         """
         Coerce various types of content into a ContentBlock.
 
@@ -266,7 +267,7 @@ def serialize_parsed(self, value: Optional[BaseModel], _info):
     
 
 def to_content_blocks(
-    content: Optional[Union[str, List[ContentBlock], List[Union[ContentBlock, str, ToolCall, ToolResult, ImageContent, np.ndarray, PILImage.Image, BaseModel]]]] = None,
+    content: Optional[Union[AnyContent, List[AnyContent]]] = None,
     **content_block_kwargs
 ) -> List[ContentBlock]:
     """
@@ -313,10 +314,10 @@ class Message(BaseModel):
     content: List[ContentBlock]
     
 
-    def __init__(self, role, content: Union[str, List[ContentBlock], List[Union[ContentBlock, str, ToolCall, ToolResult, ImageContent, np.ndarray, PILImage.Image, BaseModel]]] = None, **content_block_kwargs):
-        content = to_content_blocks(content, **content_block_kwargs)
+    def __init__(self, role: str, content: Union[AnyContent, List[AnyContent], None] = None, **content_block_kwargs):
+        content_blocks = to_content_blocks(content, **content_block_kwargs)
         
-        super().__init__(content=content, role=role)
+        super().__init__(role=role, content=content_blocks)
 
     # XXX: This choice of naming is unfortunate, but it is what it is.
     @property
@@ -423,7 +424,7 @@ def call_tools_and_collect_as_message(self, parallel=False, max_workers=None):
         return Message(role="user", content=content)
 
 # HELPERS 
-def system(content: Union[str, List[ContentBlock]]) -> Message:
+def system(content: Union[AnyContent, List[AnyContent]]) -> Message:
     """
     Create a system message with the given content.
 
@@ -436,7 +437,7 @@ def system(content: Union[str, List[ContentBlock]]) -> Message:
     return Message(role="system", content=content)
 
 
-def user(content: Union[str, List[ContentBlock]]) -> Message:
+def user(content: Union[AnyContent, List[AnyContent]]) -> Message:
     """
     Create a user message with the given content.
 
@@ -449,7 +450,7 @@ def user(content: Union[str, List[ContentBlock]]) -> Message:
     return Message(role="user", content=content)
 
 
-def assistant(content: Union[str, List[ContentBlock]]) -> Message:
+def assistant(content: Union[AnyContent, List[AnyContent]]) -> Message:
     """
     Create an assistant message with the given content.