Gore Vidal's quick guide to finding his muse

INTERVIEWER

When you get up in the morning to write, do you just sit down and start out with your pen? You don’t have any devices you use to . . . ?

VIDAL

First coffee. Then a bowel movement. Then the muse joins me.

From the paris review. 

 http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/3917/the-art-of-fiction-no-50-gore-vidal