1. A method of reducing a prototype database for use with a handwriting recognizer comprising the steps of: (a) providing the prototype database with at least two spaces; (b) selecting at least two prototypes from the prototype database, wherein the selected prototypes are from at least two spaces; (c) determining how removal of each selected prototype effects an error rate when a tuning set is processed by the handwriting recognizer; and (d) removing from the prototype database at least one of the selected prototypes that has the least adverse effect on error rate.