As someone who's working on a non-fiction travel memoir (and tried my hand at a startup), I'd agree with the author.

Another comparison not mentioned-- many writers who attempt to write a book fail.. whether it's actually completing the 1st draft, finding a publisher, or gaining traction once launched. Kinda reminds me of a pg talk, where he argues that startups fail by default, and it's our goal is to avoid dying at each milestone.