diff --git a/heed/src/reserved_space.rs b/heed/src/reserved_space.rs
index dd19223a..a51bdf90 100644
--- a/heed/src/reserved_space.rs
+++ b/heed/src/reserved_space.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use std::mem::MaybeUninit;
 use std::{fmt, io};
 
 use crate::mdb::ffi;
@@ -6,14 +7,29 @@ use crate::mdb::ffi;
 ///
 /// You must write the exact amount of bytes, no less, no more.
 pub struct ReservedSpace {
+    /// Total size of the space.
     size: usize,
+    /// Pointer to the start of the reserved space.
     start_ptr: *mut u8,
+    /// Number of bytes which have been written: all bytes in `0..written`.
     written: usize,
+    /// Index of the byte which should be written next.
+    ///
+    /// # Safety
+    ///
+    /// To ensure there are no unwritten gaps in the buffer this should be kept in the range
+    /// `0..=written` at all times.
+    write_head: usize,
 }
 
 impl ReservedSpace {
     pub(crate) unsafe fn from_val(val: ffi::MDB_val) -> ReservedSpace {
-        ReservedSpace { size: val.mv_size, start_ptr: val.mv_data as *mut u8, written: 0 }
+        ReservedSpace {
+            size: val.mv_size,
+            start_ptr: val.mv_data as *mut u8,
+            written: 0,
+            write_head: 0,
+        }
     }
 
     /// The total number of bytes that this memory buffer has.
@@ -23,27 +39,129 @@ impl ReservedSpace {
 
     /// The remaining number of bytes that this memory buffer has.
     pub fn remaining(&self) -> usize {
-        self.size - self.written
+        self.size - self.write_head
+    }
+
+    /// Get a slice of all the bytes that have previously been written.
+    ///
+    /// This can be used to write information which cannot be known until the very end of
+    /// serialization. For example, this method can be used to serialize a value, then compute a
+    /// checksum over the bytes, and then write that checksum to a header at the start of the
+    /// reserved space.
+    pub fn written_mut(&mut self) -> &mut [u8] {
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut(self.start_ptr, self.written) }
+    }
+
+    /// Fills the remaining reserved space with zeroes.
+    ///
+    /// This can be used together with [`written_mut`](Self::written_mut) to get a mutable view of
+    /// the entire reserved space.
+    ///
+    /// ### Note
+    ///
+    /// After calling this function, the entire space is considered to be filled and any
+    /// further attempt to [`write`](std::io::Write::write) anything else will fail.
+    pub fn fill_zeroes(&mut self) {
+        for i in self.write_head..self.size {
+            unsafe { self.start_ptr.add(i).write(0) };
+        }
+        self.written = self.size;
+        self.write_head = self.size;
+    }
+
+    /// Get a slice of bytes corresponding to the *entire* reserved space.
+    ///
+    /// It is safe to write to any byte within the slice. However, for a write past the end of the
+    /// prevously written bytes to take effect, [`assume_written`](Self::assume_written) has to be
+    /// called to mark those bytes as initialized.
+    ///
+    /// # Safety
+    ///
+    /// As the memory comes from within the database itself, the bytes may not yet be
+    /// initialized. Thus, it is up to the caller to ensure that only initialized memory is read
+    /// (ensured by the [`MaybeUninit`] API).
+    pub fn as_uninit_mut(&mut self) -> &mut [MaybeUninit<u8>] {
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut(self.start_ptr.cast(), self.size) }
+    }
+
+    /// Marks the bytes in the range `0..len` as being initialized by advancing the internal write
+    /// pointer.
+    ///
+    /// # Safety
+    ///
+    /// The caller guarantees that all bytes in the range have been initialized.
+    pub unsafe fn assume_written(&mut self, len: usize) {
+        debug_assert!(len <= self.size);
+        self.written = len;
+        self.write_head = len;
     }
 }
 
 impl io::Write for ReservedSpace {
     fn write(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> io::Result<usize> {
         if self.remaining() >= buf.len() {
-            let dest = unsafe { self.start_ptr.add(self.written) };
+            let dest = unsafe { self.start_ptr.add(self.write_head) };
             unsafe { buf.as_ptr().copy_to_nonoverlapping(dest, buf.len()) };
-            self.written += buf.len();
+            self.write_head += buf.len();
+            self.written = usize::max(self.written, self.write_head);
             Ok(buf.len())
         } else {
             Err(io::Error::from(io::ErrorKind::WriteZero))
         }
     }
 
+    fn write_all(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let count = self.write(buf)?;
+        debug_assert_eq!(count, buf.len());
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     fn flush(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> {
         Ok(())
     }
 }
 
+/// ## Note
+///
+/// May only seek within the previously written space.
+/// Attempts to do otherwise will result in an error.
+impl io::Seek for ReservedSpace {
+    fn seek(&mut self, pos: io::SeekFrom) -> io::Result<u64> {
+        let (base, offset) = match pos {
+            io::SeekFrom::Start(start) => (start, 0),
+            io::SeekFrom::End(offset) => (self.written as u64, offset),
+            io::SeekFrom::Current(offset) => (self.write_head as u64, offset),
+        };
+
+        let Some(new_pos) = base.checked_add_signed(offset) else {
+            return Err(std::io::Error::new(
+                std::io::ErrorKind::InvalidInput,
+                "cannot seek before start of reserved space",
+            ));
+        };
+
+        if new_pos > self.written as u64 {
+            return Err(std::io::Error::new(
+                std::io::ErrorKind::InvalidInput,
+                "cannot seek past end of reserved space",
+            ));
+        }
+
+        self.write_head = new_pos as usize;
+
+        Ok(new_pos)
+    }
+
+    fn rewind(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> {
+        self.write_head = 0;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn stream_position(&mut self) -> io::Result<u64> {
+        Ok(self.write_head as u64)
+    }
+}
+
 impl fmt::Debug for ReservedSpace {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
         f.debug_struct("ReservedSpace").finish()