Writing collaborations have become a very popular approach to producing music. There are many talented songwriters and musicians that rely solely on collaborations. Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Richard Marx is primarily a solo songwriter, but he has also done many collaborations throughout his career. He has found each experience to be different and says the most successful collaborations are when he doesn't feel like he is having to compromise, and where the end result outshines what he could create solo. For Marx, it's not always about the collaboration resulting in a hit. He has collaborated on over 20 songs with another well-known songwriter and they have never produced a hit together, but Marx feels this is some of his best work. The key to a good collaboration, says Marx, is to be open and willing to learn.