diff --git a/include/file.h b/include/file.h
index 25ab01f..24bbfcc 100644
--- a/include/file.h
+++ b/include/file.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define GUARD_5B2A3676BBB85E5075C01FF213126C89
 
 #include "types.h"
+#include <stdio.h>
 
 struct sw_filebuffer {
 	u8 *_data;
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ struct sw_filebuffer {
 	u32 size;
 };
 
+/* TODO: use skunkworks overlay paths */
 u8 *sw_file_load(char *path, u32 *out_size);
 
 struct sw_filebuffer *sw_filebuffer_create(u32 size);
@@ -17,4 +19,24 @@ void sw_filebuffer_destroy(struct sw_filebuffer *buf);
 
 void sw_filebuffer_read(struct sw_filebuffer *buf, void *dst, u32 count);
 
+/* fwrite helpers */
+
+void sw_fwrite_u8(FILE *fil, u8 val);
+void sw_fwrite_i8(FILE *fil, i8 val);
+void sw_fwrite_u16(FILE *fil, u16 val);
+void sw_fwrite_i16(FILE *fil, u16 val);
+void sw_fwrite_u32(FILE *fil, u32 val);
+void sw_fwrite_i32(FILE *fil, u32 val);
+void sw_fwrite_u64(FILE *fil, u64 val);
+void sw_fwrite_i64(FILE *fil, u64 val);
+void sw_fwrite_f32(FILE *fil, f32 val);
+void sw_fwrite_f64(FILE *fil, f64 val);
+void sw_fwrite_bool(FILE *fil, bool val);
+
+void sw_fwrite_str_nozero(FILE *fil, char *str);
+void sw_fwrite_str_zero(FILE *fil, char *str);
+void sw_fwrite_str_prefix8(FILE *fil, char *str);
+void sw_fwrite_str_prefix16(FILE *fil, char *str);
+void sw_fwrite_str_prefix32(FILE *fil, char *str);
+
 #endif /* GUARD_5B2A3676BBB85E5075C01FF213126C89 */
diff --git a/src/file.c b/src/file.c
index 2c7316f..32711a6 100644
--- a/src/file.c
+++ b/src/file.c
@@ -61,3 +61,78 @@ void sw_filebuffer_read(struct sw_filebuffer *buf, void *dst, u32 count) {
 	memcpy(dst, buf->_data + buf->pos, count);
 	buf->pos += count;
 }
+
+/* fwrite helpers */
+
+void sw_fwrite_u8(FILE *fil, u8 val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 1, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_i8(FILE *fil, i8 val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 1, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_u16(FILE *fil, u16 val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 2, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_i16(FILE *fil, u16 val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 2, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_u32(FILE *fil, u32 val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 4, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_i32(FILE *fil, u32 val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 4, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_u64(FILE *fil, u64 val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 8, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_i64(FILE *fil, u64 val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 8, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_f32(FILE *fil, f32 val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 4, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_f64(FILE *fil, f64 val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 8, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_bool(FILE *fil, bool val) {
+	fwrite(&val, 1, 1, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_str_nozero(FILE *fil, char *str) {
+	fwrite(str, strlen(str), 1, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_str_zero(FILE *fil, char *str) {
+	fwrite(str, strlen(str), 1, fil);
+	sw_fwrite_u8(fil, 0);
+}
+
+/* TODO: implement checks that string not too long? */
+
+void sw_fwrite_str_prefix8(FILE *fil, char *str) {
+	u8 size = strlen(str);
+	sw_fwrite_u8(fil, size);
+	fwrite(str, size, 1, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_str_prefix16(FILE *fil, char *str) {
+	u16 size = strlen(str);
+	sw_fwrite_u16(fil, size);
+	fwrite(str, size, 1, fil);
+}
+
+void sw_fwrite_str_prefix32(FILE *fil, char *str) {
+	u32 size = strlen(str);
+	sw_fwrite_u32(fil, size);
+	fwrite(str, size, 1, fil);
+}