An embodiment of the invention provides a method including receiving input from a user, which includes a handwritten symbol. The input is compared to prototype symbols to determine whether the input includes a threshold degree of similarity with a prototype symbol. If the input does not include a threshold degree of similarity with a prototype symbol, the input is stored as a prototype symbol. If the input includes a threshold degree of similarity with a prototype symbol, it is determined whether the input represents a text character. If the input represents a text character, the text character is identified and a prototype text character is identified. The input is mapped to the identified text character and the identified prototype text character. If the input does not represent a text character, the input is mapped to a prototype shape, and the input is mapped to the prototype shape.