diff --git a/src/lib/error.ts b/src/lib/error.ts
index c8d196e..24de6bc 100644
--- a/src/lib/error.ts
+++ b/src/lib/error.ts
@@ -7,21 +7,105 @@ export interface GraphError {
 }
 
 /** RawError is an error that can be converted to a string by ErrorMessage */
-export type RawError = Error | string | GraphError[];
+export type RawError = ErrorMessage | Error | string | GraphError[];
 
+/**
+ * Type guard to check if an error is a RawError
+ * @param error The error to check
+ * @returns true if the error is a RawError, false otherwise
+ */
+export const isRawError = (error: unknown): error is RawError => {
+	return (
+		error instanceof ErrorMessage ||
+		error instanceof Error ||
+		typeof error === 'string' ||
+		(Array.isArray(error) &&
+			error.every(
+				(e) => typeof e.message === 'string' && (e.path === undefined || Array.isArray(e.path))
+			))
+	);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Converts any error (including GraphQL errors, standard Errors, strings, and
+ * ErrorMessages) into a consistent string format for display.
+ * @param error The error to convert to a string.
+ * @returns A string representation of the error, suitable for display to users.
+ */
+export const catchErrorString = (error: unknown): string => {
+	if (error instanceof ErrorMessage) {
+		return error.toString();
+	} else if (isRawError(error)) {
+		return new ErrorMessage(error).toString();
+	} else {
+		return String(error);
+	}
+};
+
+/**
+ * Checks a typical response from a GraphQL server for error and missing data,
+ * throwing an appropriate ErrorMessage if an error is found or if no data is
+ * returned.
+ * @param resourceName A human-readable name for the resource being fetched,
+ * used in error messages.
+ * @param response The response from the GraphQL server, which may contain an
+ * 'errors' array and a 'data' field.
+ * @throws An ErrorMessage if the response contains errors or if the data field
+ * is missing (undefined or null).
+ */
+export const checkGraphResponse = (
+	resourceName: string,
+	response: { errors?: GraphError[] | null; data?: unknown }
+): void => {
+	if (response.errors && response.errors.length > 0) {
+		throw new ErrorMessage(`Error fetching ${resourceName}`, response.errors);
+	}
+	if (!response.data) {
+		throw new ErrorMessage(`No data returned for ${resourceName}`);
+	}
+};
+
+/**
+ * A class that represents an error message, which can be constructed from various types of raw errors
+ * and provides methods to convert those errors into a consistent format (lines of text) for display.
+ * It also supports wrapping existing error messages with additional context.
+ */
 export class ErrorMessage {
 	private _lines: string[] = [];
 
 	/**
-	 * Converts a RawError to an array of lines and stores it for later access,
-	 * or initializes without any errors if the input is null or undefined.
-	 * @param raw The raw error to convert and store, or null/undefined for no error.
-	 * @throws If the raw error is of an unsupported type.
+	 * Always creates a new ErrorMessage instance, even if there are no errors.
+	 * @param errors The raw errors to convert and store, or null/undefined for no error.
+	 * @throws If any of the raw errors are of an unsupported type.
 	 */
-	constructor(raw: RawError | null | undefined) {
-		if (raw) {
-			this._lines = ErrorMessage.rawErrorToLines(raw);
-		}
+	constructor(...errors: (RawError | null | undefined)[]) {
+		if (errors.length === 0) return;
+		this._lines = errors.flatMap((e) => ErrorMessage.rawErrorToLines(e));
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new ErrorMessage only if the provided errors are not null or
+	 * undefined. If no errors are provided, returns null.
+	 */
+	static from(...errors: (RawError | null | undefined)[]): ErrorMessage | null {
+		if (errors.length === 0) return null;
+		return new ErrorMessage(...errors);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Wraps this ErrorMessage inside another error, nesting the original error.
+	 * @param errors The raw errors to wrap around this error, or null/undefined for no additional error.
+	 * @returns A new ErrorMessage instance that includes the original error and any new errors.
+	 */
+	wrap(...errors: (RawError | null | undefined)[]): ErrorMessage {
+		if (errors.length === 0) return this;
+		const newLines = errors.flatMap((e) => ErrorMessage.rawErrorToLines(e));
+		return new ErrorMessage(...newLines, ...this._lines);
+	}
+
+	/** returns true if there are any error lines */
+	hasError(): boolean {
+		return this._lines.length > 0;
 	}
 
 	/** returns the stored lines */
@@ -37,28 +121,14 @@ export class ErrorMessage {
 		return this._lines.join('<br />');
 	}
 
-	/** returns true if there are any error lines */
-	hasError(): boolean {
-		return this._lines.length > 0;
-	}
-
-	/** adds a new line to the error message */
-	addLine(line: string): void {
-		this._lines.push(line);
-	}
-
-	/** optionally returns a new ErrorMessage only if the RawError is not empty */
-	static from(raw: RawError | null | undefined): ErrorMessage | null {
-		if (!raw) return null;
-		return new ErrorMessage(raw);
-	}
-
 	/** converts a RawError to an array of lines */
 	static rawErrorToLines(raw: RawError | null | undefined): string[] {
-		if (!raw) return ['No error'];
+		if (!raw) return [];
 
 		let errorLines: string[];
-		if (typeof raw === 'string') {
+		if (raw instanceof ErrorMessage) {
+			errorLines = raw.lines;
+		} else if (typeof raw === 'string') {
 			errorLines = [raw];
 		} else if (raw instanceof Error) {
 			errorLines = [raw.message];
diff --git a/src/lib/index.ts b/src/lib/index.ts
index a286392..c3dd976 100644
--- a/src/lib/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/index.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,14 @@ export {
 	ToolbarGroup,
 	Toolbar
 } from './Toolbar';
-export { type GraphError, type RawError, ErrorMessage } from './error';
+export {
+	type GraphError,
+	type RawError,
+	isRawError,
+	catchErrorString,
+	checkGraphResponse,
+	ErrorMessage
+} from './error';
 export {
 	NavigationItem,
 	NavigationManager,