diff --git a/src/common/text_util.cpp b/src/common/text_util.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..054aa3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/text_util.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/* Copyright: (c) Kayne Ruse 2013-2015
+ * 
+ * This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied
+ * warranty. In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages
+ * arising from the use of this software.
+ * 
+ * Permission is granted to anyone to use this software for any purpose,
+ * including commercial applications, and to alter it and redistribute it
+ * freely, subject to the following restrictions:
+ * 
+ * 1. The origin of this software must not be misrepresented; you must not
+ * claim that you wrote the original software. If you use this software
+ * in a product, an acknowledgment in the product documentation would be
+ * appreciated but is not required.
+ * 
+ * 2. Altered source versions must be plainly marked as such, and must not be
+ * misrepresented as being the original software.
+ * 
+ * 3. This notice may not be removed or altered from any source
+ * distribution.
+*/
+#include "text_util.hpp"
+
+#include <stdexcept>
+
+SDL_Texture* renderPlainText(SDL_Renderer* renderer, TTF_Font* font, std::string str, SDL_Color color) {
+	//make the surface (from SDL_ttf)
+	SDL_Surface* surface = TTF_RenderText_Solid(font, str.c_str(), color);
+	if (!surface) {
+		throw(std::runtime_error("Failed to create a TTF surface"));
+	}
+
+	//convert to texture
+	SDL_Texture* texture = SDL_CreateTextureFromSurface(renderer, surface);
+	if (!texture) {
+		SDL_FreeSurface(surface);
+		throw(std::runtime_error("Failed to create a TTF texture"));
+	}
+
+	//cleanup
+	SDL_FreeSurface(surface);
+
+	//NOTE: free the texture yourself
+	return texture;
+}
+
+TextBox::TextBox() {
+	//
+}
+
+TextBox::~TextBox() {
+	//
+}
+
+void TextBox::DrawTo(SDL_Renderer* renderer) {
+	//
+}
+
+void TextBox::SetText(SDL_Renderer*, std::string) {
+	//
+}
+
+void TextBox::AddText(SDL_Renderer*, std::string) {
+	//
+}
+
+void TextBox::ClearText() {
+	//
+}
diff --git a/src/common/text_util.hpp b/src/common/text_util.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e20ff1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/text_util.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/* Copyright: (c) Kayne Ruse 2013-2015
+ * 
+ * This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied
+ * warranty. In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages
+ * arising from the use of this software.
+ * 
+ * Permission is granted to anyone to use this software for any purpose,
+ * including commercial applications, and to alter it and redistribute it
+ * freely, subject to the following restrictions:
+ * 
+ * 1. The origin of this software must not be misrepresented; you must not
+ * claim that you wrote the original software. If you use this software
+ * in a product, an acknowledgment in the product documentation would be
+ * appreciated but is not required.
+ * 
+ * 2. Altered source versions must be plainly marked as such, and must not be
+ * misrepresented as being the original software.
+ * 
+ * 3. This notice may not be removed or altered from any source
+ * distribution.
+*/
+#pragma once
+
+#include "image.hpp"
+#include "SDL2/SDL.h"
+#include "SDL2/SDL_ttf.h"
+
+#include <string>
+
+constexpr SDL_Color COLOR_WHITE = {255, 255, 255, 255};
+
+SDL_Texture* renderPlainText(SDL_Renderer*, TTF_Font*, std::string, SDL_Color color);
+
+class TextBox {
+public:
+	TextBox();
+	~TextBox();
+
+	void DrawTo(SDL_Renderer*);
+
+	void SetText(SDL_Renderer*, TTF_Font*, std::string, SDL_Color color);
+	void AddText(SDL_Renderer*, TTF_Font*, std::string, SDL_Color color);
+	void ClearText();
+
+	//position
+	int SetX(int x) { return posX = x; }
+	int SetY(int y) { return posY = y; }
+	int SetX() { return posX; }
+	int SetY() { return posY; }
+
+protected:
+	Image image;
+	int posX = 0, posY = 0;
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/example_scene.cpp b/src/example_scene.cpp
index 165b867..7162dc7 100644
--- a/src/example_scene.cpp
+++ b/src/example_scene.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,13 @@ void ExampleScene::RenderFrame(SDL_Renderer* renderer) {
 
 	//DEBUG: testing UI
 	button.DrawTo(renderer);
+
+	SDL_Texture* tex = renderPlainText(renderer, font, "STRING\nTEXT", {255, 255, 255, 255});
+	int w = 0, h = 0;
+	SDL_QueryTexture(tex, nullptr, nullptr, &w, &h);
+	SDL_Rect d = {0, 0, w, h};
+	SDL_RenderCopy(renderer, tex, nullptr, &d);
+	SDL_DestroyTexture(tex);
 }
 
 //-------------------------
diff --git a/src/example_scene.hpp b/src/example_scene.hpp
index 757ae95..c950901 100644
--- a/src/example_scene.hpp
+++ b/src/example_scene.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "base_scene.hpp"
 #include "button.hpp"
 #include "region_pager_lua.hpp"
+#include "text_util.hpp"
 #include "tile_sheet.hpp"
 
 #include "lua.hpp"