Creative Writer is available from MicroSoft and does not require a CD-Rom. It does have some animation, sounds, and is new. This program does deserves criticism though. If a parent bought this for their child, I'd say it was great that they want to help their child learn more. But this program, as with all programs, can not compare with the creativity of a human.
The only Creative part of this program is one section of the program where you spin a three windowed slot machine and see what you come up with. It may be a picture, a sentence, a phrase, or a word. From this you do your creative writing.
Using the net as a form of self expression has been immense. Look at all the home pages out there. The fact that it is your little "home" means something. It gives you a sense of identity, and adults like it to. (more to come soon)