We propose a framework designed to guide the development of automated writing practice and formative evaluation and feedback for young children (K-5 th grade) -- the early Automated Writing Evaluation (early-AWE) Framework. e-AWE is grounded on the fundamental assumption that e-AWE is needed for young developing readers, but must incorporate advanced technologies inherent to AWE, speech recognition, and games. In line with interdisciplinary views on writing to support learners in the classroom, e-AWE must support a community of learners and interlace reading and writing instructional activities combined with feedback to use reading and writing strategies. The e-AWE Framework provides a guide for the development of tools that leverage and integrate cutting-edge technologies, some of which only recently have become widely available in educational settings. These tools can continue to provide usable and feasible means to offer high-quality automated writing practice and feedback to a diverse and large number of students. [This is the online version of an article published in "Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice."]