A method for storing input data in a flash memory. The method comprising generating a codeword by encoding the input data with an error correcting code and generating a shaped codeword by applying a shaping function to at least a part of the codeword. The shaping function comprising logically inverting every n-th occurrence of a bit associated with a high-charge storage state in the part of the codeword. The method further comprising writing the shaped codeword to the flash memory, generating an estimated shaped codeword by reading the flash memory, generating soft decision information for the estimated shaped codeword, and retrieving the input data by decoding the soft decision information using an error correcting code soft decoder.