Abstract: A method and system for editing messages within a recording system includes a handheld recorder having flash memory and a plurality of memory address pointers for storing messages. The flash memory has a plurality of sequential memory blocks, each memory block has a plurality of memory locations, and the messages are stored as message segments. The plurality of memory address pointers stores an ordered sequence of addresses of said message segments within the flash memory. Upon an edit point being selected within a message at which the message is to be edited, the edit point corresponding to a first location within the message defining an end point of a first message segment, an edited message comprising a second message segment is generated.