Use of a real school in a story?

Are you asking because you are planning to use a school that already exists? Because it looks like you've already talked yourself out of it. And I'm curious as to why you would want to do that in the first place.

If I wanted to set my story in an environment like my high school, I would at the very least change the school's name--unless, of course, you're writing about a well-known school or a specific event.

I am planning a novel that will take place at the university I attended, but universities are much larger institutions, so I they're fair game. I wouldn't include any of the current professors or students, however. (Although I can think of a few who would make excellent characters.)

I used only real names of schools in my stories. Because there aren't many schools in those towns, and I prefer an existing landmark to something made up. Yes, I researched about them.

But what if in your story you use the King's Tower... and there is no tower in that town? If you are setting your story in an existing town, the landmarks (monuments, schools, other kind of buildings) are to be real.

Somebody would read and would think: "She's got it all wrong, there is no such tower/ building/ school in my town!"

Of course, the characters I used who were attending those schools were fictional characters, no connection with any teacher or student...

Elenitsa said:

Somebody would read and would think: "She's got it all wrong, there is no such tower/ building/ school in my town!"

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I don't know. I think readers can be more forgiving about writers making up schools, business, etc. than using existing ones and getting details wrong.

I mean, you still have to fictionalize a lot when using a real school, and there's a lot of room for getting details wrong or having to tweak things to fit your story.

I know that I always expect that writers will make up schools and similar places, even if they're writing about a real location.

For a short story I used the ground plan of a local school - but I changed the name of the school. The story was circulated in a reading/writing group the members of which were all local people. Only one out of twenty or so people who read it recognized the school and that was because I had mentioned in the story that from the roof the top of Tower Bridge, London, could be seen. If I had not mentioned that then I doubt if any one would have made a connection.

I think it is in the portrayal of the school staff and pupils that it can be tricky as there could be a possibility that some people may claim to recognize themselves so you would need to put in a disclaimer saying the characters do not represent anyone living or dead.

Some of the students will be

shallow and concerned with popularity

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some will be geeks, truants, have learning/personal/family problems.

Morwen Edhelwen said:

So, DancingMaenid, would you mind a fictional school in a hypothetical story set in your hometown, for example? In my WIP, set in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, Alaska, the protagonist and her siblings go to "Dutch Harbor School". There's no school in Dutch Harbor, only in the actual city of Unalaska on Unalaska Island. Would this be OK?

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I'd have no problem with that at all. I'd expect it. And I don't really know anything about the schools in my hometown, anyway, so I wouldn't find it any more or less plausible than if a real school were used.

I can't speak for everyone, obviously.

I use real names of everything (schools, stores, parks, etc.), but my WIP is set somewhere I once lived, so everything is very accurate. Accuracy is key.

But in other stories and things I've written, I've made up the names.

I honestly don't think it matters either way.

Do what works for the story.

I use all real names in one work. I want the fiction to have that real jumping off point, but the work is clearly fiction. If I'm not writing non fiction, how accurate to the truth am I going to be?

In another work, I made up everything. The story didn't require that realness in that way.

I try to use as many real places as possible in my projects but when it comes to things like schools, I find it easier to make one up as to not step on any toes of a real place. Like everyone has said, it's what works for your story.