There is an iPad app called My Writing Nook for iPad that claims to have both a spell check and an active word count. Other features include autosave, dictionary and thesaurus, and variable font size. It also provides you with the option to email the document.
Strictly speaking it is not a word processing program, instead it runs off of Google's App engine. This means that you need to have a Google account to use the app. itunes.apple.com/app/my-writing-nook-for... My Writing Nook for iPad is available from the Apple Apps store.It seems like an interesting, inexpensive app, but since I am not really familiar with the Google App Engine, I don't know if that is an advantage or a drawback.
It does, however, have the features you said you are looking for, as well as several other helpful writing tools.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.