The Gist Brian Platzer: A Story that Literally Couldn't be Told
Mar 4, 2026
Brian Platzer, novelist and middle school teacher best known for The Optimist, speaks about the real-life teacher who inspired his book. He discusses crafting a narrator who loses speech, researching assistive technology, and balancing readability with experimental form. He also shares his experience caring for a mentor after a stroke and living with a baffling neurological disorder.
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Cheap Drones Changed Modern Warfare Economics
- Drones have dramatically lowered the cost of striking targets, changing deterrence calculus.
- Mike Pesca cites Shahed kamikaze drones costing $35,000–$50,000 versus $3M interceptors, making cheap swarm attacks feasible.
The Real Teacher Who Inspired The Optimist
- Brian Platzer based The Optimist on his real seventh/eighth grade teacher, Rod Keating, who inspired his teaching and writing.
- Platzer used the real teacher's name and the novel blends autobiography with fictionalized voice to keep Keating's presence alive.
Delay The Gimmick To Preserve Reader Engagement
- Platzer delayed revealing his narrator's communication device to avoid turning readers off with a depressing conceit.
- He balanced authenticity (inspired by The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) with telling an engaging, entertaining novel.
