5 Best Online Creative Writing Tools for Middle School Students (2025 Edition)

[Middle School 🎒] • [Art 🪄] • [Writing ✍️] • [Nurture 🌱] • [Insights 📊]

At GiftedTalented.com, we believe that every young person has a story worth telling—and middle school is one of the best times to bring those stories to life. Whether you're a parent looking to support your child or a student exploring writing tools on your own (yes, we know some of you are already way ahead of the curve), this guide is for you.

Creative writing isn’t just about essays or grammar. It’s about expression, imagination, and building confidence through words. That’s why we’ve gathered, tested, and reviewed the top platforms for middle school writers. Some spark creativity through beautiful visuals. Others focus on polishing your grammar or collaborating with peers. Below, we break down what each tool offers, based on real user feedback from students, parents, and educators.

1. ⭐ Storybird: For the Dreamers and the Visual Learners

What We Love:
Storybird is one of the most beloved writing platforms for young storytellers. It uses beautifully illustrated images to inspire original stories, making even reluctant writers feel like artists. You can choose an image, build a story around it, and share your work with a community of fellow writers.

What Users Say:

“Most amazing writing platform I’ve ever encountered... You can write stories, enter an amazing community of writers, and even print your own books!”

Things to Note:
There is a membership fee for advanced features, and some users experience occasional login issues, but overall, it’s a favorite for a reason.

✅ Best for: Sparking creativity, visual storytelling, safe online sharing
⚠️ Watch out for: Minor tech hiccups, premium costs

2. 🔁 BoomWriter: For the Collaborators and Community-Builders

What We Love:
BoomWriter turns writing into a team sport. Students write a chapter, submit it anonymously, and then vote on which version moves forward. It’s a fun, gamified way to collaborate, give feedback, and even publish your own group-written books.

What Users Say:

“Seeing your most hesitant writers go from hating writing to eager for the next BoomWriter task… that’s a win.”
“You can’t really put a score on the reaction of a student seeing their name in a real book.”

Things to Note:
Some setup is required, and many advanced features are behind a paywall. But it integrates well with Google Classroom and makes writing feel exciting.

✅ Best for: Peer feedback, classroom fun, getting published
⚠️ Watch out for: Setup time, limited free access

3. 🧠 Quill: For the Grammar Builders and Precision Lovers

What We Love:
Quill is great for students (and parents helping them) who want to level up grammar, mechanics, and writing structure. It provides instant feedback, diagnostics, and personalized learning paths that help identify specific areas for improvement.

What Users Say:
Student feedback is mixed.

“Tedious,” “glitchy,” and “too focused on small errors” are common gripes.
Some students feel it’s more stressful than helpful.

Teachers, however, see its value:

“Excellent for tracking growth and organizing lessons, even if students need a little onboarding.”

Things to Note:
It’s better suited for formal writing and mechanics than creative expression. Some AI-generated suggestions can feel overly complex for middle schoolers.

✅ Best for: Grammar, diagnostics, targeted feedback
⚠️ Watch out for: Rigid structure, potential student frustration

4. 💬 ReadWriteThink: For the Planners and Strategic Storytellers

What We Love:
If you’re the kind of writer who likes having a roadmap before diving into a story, ReadWriteThink offers some great tools. From character maps to poetry builders, it helps organize ideas and break down the writing process into manageable steps.

What Users Say:

“Supportive environment, direct instruction, and real results.”
“My daughter gained confidence and got actual help with school assignments—without losing her voice.”

Things to Note:
Some tools require setup or teacher involvement, and not everything is 100% digital. But the scaffolding is helpful for anyone who’s still learning how to structure their writing.

✅ Best for: Brainstorming, planning, improving academic writing
⚠️ Watch out for: Some offline tools, less visual storytelling

5. ✍️ Grammarly: For Polishing Your Work (With Care)

What We Love:
Grammarly isn’t a creative writing tool in the same way Storybird or BoomWriter are. It won’t spark your next big story idea or help you build a fantasy world. But when it comes to cleaning up your writing, it’s one of the most widely used tools for writers of all ages—adults, teens, and middle schoolers alike. From catching spelling and grammar mistakes to offering clarity suggestions, Grammarly helps students turn rough drafts into polished pieces.

What Users Say:

“Once you get used to the suggestions, Grammarly becomes your best writing friend.”
“It improved my writing over time, but sometimes it made things sound too robotic.”

Things to Note:
Use Grammarly as a guide, not a boss. Over-reliance can strip away creativity or personal voice, especially in poetry or fiction.

✅ Best for: Polishing drafts, learning grammar, non-native speakers
⚠️ Watch out for: Premium price, creativity-limiting edits

✨ Why This Matters (and What to Do Next)

Whether you're a student exploring on your own (yes, we see you—and we’re cheering you on) or a parent guiding a young writer, the goal is the same:

HELP THEM find their VOICE and love using it.

At GiftedTalented.com, our north star is simple: Does this tool make writing feel more joyful, creative, and alive?

If yes, we recommend it. If not, we keep looking.

And while these tools are fantastic, even the best platforms work better when paired with low-pressure, hands-on writing fun.

👉 Next Up: 8 Screen-Free Creative Writing Activities for Middle Schoolers (They’ll Actually Enjoy)

From storytelling games to point-of-view prompts and comic strips, these activities turn writing into play—no grades, no pressure, just imagination.