diff --git a/ruma-common-macros/src/attr.rs b/ruma-common-macros/src/attr.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2d28fd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruma-common-macros/src/attr.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+use syn::{
+    parse::{Parse, ParseStream},
+    LitStr, Token,
+};
+
+use crate::case::RenameRule;
+
+mod kw {
+    syn::custom_keyword!(rename);
+    syn::custom_keyword!(rename_all);
+}
+
+pub struct RenameAttr(LitStr);
+
+impl RenameAttr {
+    pub fn into_inner(self) -> LitStr {
+        self.0
+    }
+}
+
+impl Parse for RenameAttr {
+    fn parse(input: ParseStream) -> syn::Result<Self> {
+        let _: kw::rename = input.parse()?;
+        let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+        Ok(Self(input.parse()?))
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct RenameAllAttr(RenameRule);
+
+impl RenameAllAttr {
+    pub fn into_inner(self) -> RenameRule {
+        self.0
+    }
+}
+
+impl Parse for RenameAllAttr {
+    fn parse(input: ParseStream) -> syn::Result<Self> {
+        let _: kw::rename_all = input.parse()?;
+        let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+        let s: LitStr = input.parse()?;
+        Ok(Self(
+            s.value()
+                .parse()
+                .map_err(|_| syn::Error::new_spanned(s, "invalid value for rename_all"))?,
+        ))
+    }
+}
diff --git a/ruma-common-macros/src/deserialize_from_cow_str.rs b/ruma-common-macros/src/deserialize_from_cow_str.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..68c27101
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruma-common-macros/src/deserialize_from_cow_str.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+use proc_macro2::{Ident, TokenStream};
+use quote::quote;
+
+use crate::util::import_ruma_common;
+
+pub fn expand_deserialize_from_cow_str(ident: &Ident) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
+    let ruma_common = import_ruma_common();
+
+    Ok(quote! {
+        impl<'de> #ruma_common::exports::serde::de::Deserialize<'de> for #ident {
+            fn deserialize<D>(deserializer: D) -> ::std::result::Result<Self, D::Error>
+            where
+                D: #ruma_common::exports::serde::de::Deserializer<'de>,
+            {
+                type CowStr<'a> = ::std::borrow::Cow<'a, ::std::primitive::str>;
+
+                let cow = #ruma_common::exports::ruma_serde::deserialize_cow_str(deserializer)?;
+                Ok(::std::convert::From::<CowStr<'_>>::from(cow))
+            }
+        }
+    })
+}
diff --git a/ruma-common-macros/src/display_as_ref_str.rs b/ruma-common-macros/src/display_as_ref_str.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..67a1a9e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruma-common-macros/src/display_as_ref_str.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+use proc_macro2::{Ident, TokenStream};
+use quote::quote;
+
+pub fn expand_display_as_ref_str(ident: &Ident) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
+    Ok(quote! {
+        impl ::std::fmt::Display for #ident {
+            fn fmt(&self, f: &mut ::std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> ::std::fmt::Result {
+                f.write_str(<Self as ::std::convert::AsRef<::std::primitive::str>>::as_ref(self))
+            }
+        }
+    })
+}
diff --git a/ruma-common-macros/src/enum_as_ref_str.rs b/ruma-common-macros/src/enum_as_ref_str.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4a2bbf97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruma-common-macros/src/enum_as_ref_str.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+use proc_macro2::TokenStream;
+use quote::{quote, ToTokens};
+use syn::{Fields, FieldsNamed, FieldsUnnamed, ItemEnum};
+
+use crate::util::{get_rename, get_rename_rule};
+
+pub fn expand_enum_as_ref_str(input: &ItemEnum) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
+    let enum_name = &input.ident;
+    let rename_rule = get_rename_rule(&input)?;
+    let branches: Vec<_> = input
+        .variants
+        .iter()
+        .map(|v| {
+            let variant_name = &v.ident;
+            let (field_capture, variant_str) = match (get_rename(v)?, &v.fields) {
+                (None, Fields::Unit) => (
+                    None,
+                    rename_rule.apply_to_variant(&variant_name.to_string()).into_token_stream(),
+                ),
+                (Some(rename), Fields::Unit) => (None, rename.into_token_stream()),
+                (None, Fields::Named(FieldsNamed { named: fields, .. }))
+                | (None, Fields::Unnamed(FieldsUnnamed { unnamed: fields, .. })) => {
+                    if fields.len() != 1 {
+                        return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
+                            v,
+                            "multiple data fields are not supported",
+                        ));
+                    }
+
+                    let capture = match &fields[0].ident {
+                        Some(name) => quote! { { #name: inner } },
+                        None => quote! { (inner) },
+                    };
+
+                    (Some(capture), quote! { inner })
+                }
+                (Some(_), _) => {
+                    return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
+                        v,
+                        "ruma_enum(rename) is only allowed on unit variants",
+                    ));
+                }
+            };
+
+            Ok(quote! {
+                #enum_name :: #variant_name #field_capture => #variant_str
+            })
+        })
+        .collect::<syn::Result<_>>()?;
+
+    Ok(quote! {
+        impl ::std::convert::AsRef<::std::primitive::str> for #enum_name {
+            fn as_ref(&self) -> &::std::primitive::str {
+                match self { #(#branches),* }
+            }
+        }
+    })
+}
diff --git a/ruma-common-macros/src/enum_from_string.rs b/ruma-common-macros/src/enum_from_string.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c029e633
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruma-common-macros/src/enum_from_string.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+use proc_macro2::{Span, TokenStream};
+use quote::{quote, ToTokens};
+use syn::{Fields, FieldsNamed, FieldsUnnamed, ItemEnum};
+
+use crate::util::{get_rename, get_rename_rule};
+
+pub fn expand_enum_from_string(input: &ItemEnum) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
+    let enum_name = &input.ident;
+    let rename_rule = get_rename_rule(&input)?;
+    let mut fallback = None;
+    let mut fallback_ty = None;
+    let branches: Vec<_> = input
+        .variants
+        .iter()
+        .map(|v| {
+            let variant_name = &v.ident;
+            let variant_str = match (get_rename(v)?, &v.fields) {
+                (None, Fields::Unit) => Some(
+                    rename_rule.apply_to_variant(&variant_name.to_string()).into_token_stream(),
+                ),
+                (Some(rename), Fields::Unit) => Some(rename.into_token_stream()),
+                (None, Fields::Named(FieldsNamed { named: fields, .. }))
+                | (None, Fields::Unnamed(FieldsUnnamed { unnamed: fields, .. })) => {
+                    if fields.len() != 1 {
+                        return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
+                            v,
+                            "multiple data fields are not supported",
+                        ));
+                    }
+
+                    if fallback.is_some() {
+                        return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
+                            v,
+                            "multiple data-carrying variants are not supported",
+                        ));
+                    }
+
+                    let member = match &fields[0].ident {
+                        Some(name) => name.into_token_stream(),
+                        None => quote! { 0 },
+                    };
+
+                    fallback = Some(quote! {
+                        _ => #enum_name :: #variant_name { #member: s.into() }
+                    });
+
+                    fallback_ty = Some(&fields[0].ty);
+
+                    None
+                }
+                (Some(_), _) => {
+                    return Err(syn::Error::new_spanned(
+                        v,
+                        "ruma_enum(rename) is only allowed on unit variants",
+                    ));
+                }
+            };
+
+            Ok(variant_str.map(|s| quote! { #s => #enum_name :: #variant_name }))
+        })
+        .collect::<syn::Result<_>>()?;
+
+    // Remove `None` from the iterator to avoid emitting consecutive commas in repetition
+    let branches = branches.iter().flatten();
+
+    if fallback.is_none() {
+        return Err(syn::Error::new(Span::call_site(), "required fallback variant not found"));
+    }
+
+    Ok(quote! {
+        impl<T> ::std::convert::From<T> for #enum_name
+        where
+            T: ::std::convert::AsRef<::std::primitive::str>
+                + ::std::convert::Into<#fallback_ty>
+        {
+            fn from(s: T) -> Self {
+                match s.as_ref() {
+                    #( #branches, )*
+                    #fallback
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    })
+}
diff --git a/ruma-common-macros/src/lib.rs b/ruma-common-macros/src/lib.rs
index 408d89d3..7c6cdde8 100644
--- a/ruma-common-macros/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ruma-common-macros/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,22 @@
 use proc_macro::TokenStream;
-use syn::{parse_macro_input, DeriveInput};
+use quote::quote;
+use syn::{parse_macro_input, DeriveInput, ItemEnum};
 
+use deserialize_from_cow_str::expand_deserialize_from_cow_str;
+use display_as_ref_str::expand_display_as_ref_str;
+use enum_as_ref_str::expand_enum_as_ref_str;
+use enum_from_string::expand_enum_from_string;
 use outgoing::expand_derive_outgoing;
+use serialize_as_ref_str::expand_serialize_as_ref_str;
 
+mod attr;
+mod case;
+mod deserialize_from_cow_str;
+mod display_as_ref_str;
+mod enum_as_ref_str;
+mod enum_from_string;
 mod outgoing;
+mod serialize_as_ref_str;
 mod util;
 
 /// Derive the `Outgoing` trait, possibly generating an 'Incoming' version of the struct this
@@ -53,3 +66,62 @@ pub fn derive_outgoing(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
     let input = parse_macro_input!(input as DeriveInput);
     expand_derive_outgoing(input).unwrap_or_else(|err| err.to_compile_error()).into()
 }
+
+#[proc_macro_derive(AsRefStr, attributes(ruma_enum))]
+pub fn derive_enum_as_ref_str(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
+    let input = parse_macro_input!(input as ItemEnum);
+    expand_enum_as_ref_str(&input).unwrap_or_else(|err| err.to_compile_error()).into()
+}
+
+#[proc_macro_derive(FromString, attributes(ruma_enum))]
+pub fn derive_enum_from_string(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
+    let input = parse_macro_input!(input as ItemEnum);
+    expand_enum_from_string(&input).unwrap_or_else(|err| err.to_compile_error()).into()
+}
+
+// FIXME: The following macros aren't actually interested in type details beyond name (and possibly
+//        generics in the future). They probably shouldn't use `DeriveInput`.
+
+#[proc_macro_derive(DisplayAsRefStr)]
+pub fn derive_display_as_ref_str(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
+    let input = parse_macro_input!(input as DeriveInput);
+    expand_display_as_ref_str(&input.ident).unwrap_or_else(|err| err.to_compile_error()).into()
+}
+
+#[proc_macro_derive(SerializeAsRefStr)]
+pub fn derive_serialize_as_ref_str(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
+    let input = parse_macro_input!(input as DeriveInput);
+    expand_serialize_as_ref_str(&input.ident).unwrap_or_else(|err| err.to_compile_error()).into()
+}
+
+#[proc_macro_derive(DeserializeFromCowStr)]
+pub fn derive_deserialize_from_cow_str(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
+    let input = parse_macro_input!(input as DeriveInput);
+    expand_deserialize_from_cow_str(&input.ident)
+        .unwrap_or_else(|err| err.to_compile_error())
+        .into()
+}
+
+/// Shorthand for the derives `AsRefStr`, `FromString`, `DisplayAsRefStr`, `SerializeAsRefStr` and
+/// `DeserializeFromCowStr`.
+#[proc_macro_derive(StringEnum, attributes(ruma_enum))]
+pub fn derive_string_enum(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
+    fn expand_all(input: ItemEnum) -> syn::Result<proc_macro2::TokenStream> {
+        let as_ref_str_impl = expand_enum_as_ref_str(&input)?;
+        let from_string_impl = expand_enum_from_string(&input)?;
+        let display_impl = expand_display_as_ref_str(&input.ident)?;
+        let serialize_impl = expand_serialize_as_ref_str(&input.ident)?;
+        let deserialize_impl = expand_deserialize_from_cow_str(&input.ident)?;
+
+        Ok(quote! {
+            #as_ref_str_impl
+            #from_string_impl
+            #display_impl
+            #serialize_impl
+            #deserialize_impl
+        })
+    }
+
+    let input = parse_macro_input!(input as ItemEnum);
+    expand_all(input).unwrap_or_else(|err| err.to_compile_error()).into()
+}
diff --git a/ruma-common-macros/src/serialize_as_ref_str.rs b/ruma-common-macros/src/serialize_as_ref_str.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bcaf5620
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruma-common-macros/src/serialize_as_ref_str.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+use proc_macro2::{Ident, TokenStream};
+use quote::quote;
+
+use crate::util::import_ruma_common;
+
+pub fn expand_serialize_as_ref_str(ident: &Ident) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
+    let ruma_common = import_ruma_common();
+
+    Ok(quote! {
+        impl #ruma_common::exports::serde::ser::Serialize for #ident {
+            fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> ::std::result::Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
+            where
+                S: #ruma_common::exports::serde::ser::Serializer,
+            {
+                <Self as ::std::convert::AsRef<::std::primitive::str>>::as_ref(self)
+                    .serialize(serializer)
+            }
+        }
+    })
+}
diff --git a/ruma-common-macros/src/util.rs b/ruma-common-macros/src/util.rs
index 511db937..66013737 100644
--- a/ruma-common-macros/src/util.rs
+++ b/ruma-common-macros/src/util.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 use proc_macro2::{Ident, Span, TokenStream};
 use proc_macro_crate::crate_name;
 use quote::quote;
+use syn::{ItemEnum, LitStr, Variant};
+
+use crate::{
+    attr::{RenameAllAttr, RenameAttr},
+    case::RenameRule,
+};
 
 pub fn import_ruma_common() -> TokenStream {
     if let Ok(possibly_renamed) = crate_name("ruma-common") {
@@ -13,3 +19,35 @@ pub fn import_ruma_common() -> TokenStream {
         quote! { ::ruma_common }
     }
 }
+
+pub fn get_rename_rule(input: &ItemEnum) -> syn::Result<RenameRule> {
+    let rules: Vec<_> = input
+        .attrs
+        .iter()
+        .filter(|attr| attr.path.is_ident("ruma_enum"))
+        .map(|attr| attr.parse_args::<RenameAllAttr>().map(RenameAllAttr::into_inner))
+        .collect::<syn::Result<_>>()?;
+
+    match rules.len() {
+        0 => Ok(RenameRule::None),
+        1 => Ok(rules[0]),
+        _ => Err(syn::Error::new(
+            Span::call_site(),
+            "found multiple ruma_enum(rename_all) attributes",
+        )),
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn get_rename(input: &Variant) -> syn::Result<Option<LitStr>> {
+    let renames: Vec<_> = input
+        .attrs
+        .iter()
+        .filter(|attr| attr.path.is_ident("ruma_enum"))
+        .map(|attr| attr.parse_args::<RenameAttr>().map(RenameAttr::into_inner))
+        .collect::<syn::Result<_>>()?;
+
+    match renames.len() {
+        0 | 1 => Ok(renames.into_iter().next()),
+        _ => Err(syn::Error::new(Span::call_site(), "found multiple ruma_enum(rename) attributes")),
+    }
+}
diff --git a/ruma-common/src/lib.rs b/ruma-common/src/lib.rs
index 6318bd01..8b935416 100644
--- a/ruma-common/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ruma-common/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ pub mod push;
 mod raw;
 pub mod thirdparty;
 
-pub use ruma_common_macros::Outgoing;
+pub use ruma_common_macros::*;
 
 pub use self::raw::Raw;
 
@@ -33,5 +33,6 @@ extern crate self as ruma_common;
 /// It is not considered part of ruma-common's public API.
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub mod exports {
+    pub use ruma_serde;
     pub use serde;
 }
diff --git a/ruma-common/tests/enum_derive.rs b/ruma-common/tests/enum_derive.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3e339b5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruma-common/tests/enum_derive.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+use ruma_common::StringEnum;
+use serde_json::{from_value as from_json_value, json, to_value as to_json_value};
+
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, StringEnum)]
+#[ruma_enum(rename_all = "snake_case")]
+enum MyEnum {
+    First,
+    Second,
+    #[ruma_enum(rename = "m.third")]
+    Third,
+    HelloWorld,
+    _Custom(String),
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn as_ref_str() {
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::First.as_ref(), "first");
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::Second.as_ref(), "second");
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::Third.as_ref(), "m.third");
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::HelloWorld.as_ref(), "hello_world");
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::_Custom("HelloWorld".into()).as_ref(), "HelloWorld");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn display() {
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::First.to_string(), "first");
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::Second.to_string(), "second");
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::Third.to_string(), "m.third");
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::HelloWorld.to_string(), "hello_world");
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::_Custom("HelloWorld".into()).to_string(), "HelloWorld");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn from_string() {
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::from("first"), MyEnum::First);
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::from("second"), MyEnum::Second);
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::from("m.third"), MyEnum::Third);
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::from("hello_world"), MyEnum::HelloWorld);
+    assert_eq!(MyEnum::from("HelloWorld"), MyEnum::_Custom("HelloWorld".into()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn serialize() {
+    assert_eq!(to_json_value(MyEnum::First).unwrap(), json!("first"));
+    assert_eq!(to_json_value(MyEnum::HelloWorld).unwrap(), json!("hello_world"));
+    assert_eq!(to_json_value(MyEnum::_Custom("\\\n\\".into())).unwrap(), json!("\\\n\\"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn deserialize() {
+    assert_eq!(from_json_value::<MyEnum>(json!("first")).unwrap(), MyEnum::First);
+    assert_eq!(from_json_value::<MyEnum>(json!("hello_world")).unwrap(), MyEnum::HelloWorld);
+    assert_eq!(
+        from_json_value::<MyEnum>(json!("\\\n\\")).unwrap(),
+        MyEnum::_Custom("\\\n\\".into())
+    );
+}