How to Stand Out as a Freelance Writer (Even When 100+ Writers Apply)

Have you been on LinkedIn lately?

I have used my LinkedIn profile to help me find clients and many of the posts I scroll through are writer callouts.

Companies, agencies, and solopreneurs write LinkedIn posts to find freelance writers, copywriters and other types of writers they need.

This can be a legit method to landing client work as a freelance writer, whether you are in your first or tenth year.

Recently, I saw a writer callout on LinkedIn that had 117 comments within a few hours!

And you know what I did? I applied.

Because why not?

I know it can feel completely pointless when you find a freelance writing opportunity and there are already 47, 83 or 100+ writers underneath it saying:

Interested!
Sent you a DM!
I’d love to help!

Your first thought is probably, Welp. Too late. But I don’t automatically assume that anymore.

I’ve been freelance writing for over a decade, and I’ve learned that the number of people applying doesn’t necessarily tell you how many good-fit writers are applying.

There’s a difference.

A content manager might receive 100 responses and still be looking for someone who understands their niche, can show relevant samples, follows directions and—this is becoming increasingly important—can actually think beyond the words on the page.

So, yes, I still shoot my shot.

But I’m also not sending the same generic pitch as everyone else.

If you’re trying to figure out how to stand out as a freelance writer, especially when you’re responding to those ridiculously popular LinkedIn writer callouts, here are some things I’d do.

1. Don’t Just Share Writing Samples. Explain Them.

When I started replying to these writer callout posts, I would apply like how everyone applied when they commented, “Here are three samples.”

And then dump three links into the post or in an email.

Done but because I was like everyone else doing the same thing as everyone else, I wasn’t standing out.

Now?

I’m much more interested in showing the thinking behind the content.

Because writing a 2,000-word SaaS article isn’t just…writing 2,000 words.

Maybe I had to interview a subject matter expert or I had to research ten competing articles before deciding what everyone else was missing.

Maybe the client gave me an AI-generated brief that I used as a starting point, but I completely changed the angle after doing my own research.

It could be that I found an original study instead of linking to the same statistic every other article was citing.

THAT is the interesting part. And it also gives a potential client a peek into what it would actually be like to hire you.

Instead of saying:

“Here’s an article I wrote about content repurposing.”

You could say something like:

“For this article, I analyzed how several brands were repurposing long-form content across social platforms and pulled examples directly into the post. I also researched the limitations of repurposing so the article wasn’t another ‘turn one blog post into 17 tweets’ type of piece.”

See the difference?

You’re not only proving:

I can write.

You’re showing:

I can research. I can make decisions. I can find an angle. I can think strategically.

And that’s becoming more valuable.

LinkedIn’s 2025 Future of Recruiting report found that 93% of talent acquisition professionals believe accurately assessing a candidate’s skills is crucial for improving quality of hire.

Companies doing the most skills-based searches were also 12% more likely to make a quality hire.

Obviously, responding to a freelance writer callout isn’t exactly the same thing as going through corporate recruiting. But I think the takeaway applies.

Show what you can DO.

Don’t rely on a job title or a pretty portfolio to do all the convincing for you.

2. Give Context to Your Results Too

This is related to the first tip, but I think it’s worth separating because writers are constantly told to “show results.”

And yes, results are great. If your article ranks #1 on Google, tell them.

If a client told you the email sequence you wrote increased conversions, absolutely use that.

But here’s the problem.

Freelance writers don’t always have access to those numbers.

I certainly haven’t received detailed traffic, conversion and revenue reports for every article I’ve written.

Sometimes you hand in the Google Doc and that’s basically the end of your involvement.

So don’t think:

I don’t have a case study, therefore I have nothing impressive to say.

Talk about what you do know.

For example:

The article required two SME interviews
You sourced original statistics
You suggested the angle
You optimized it for a specific search intent
You adapted the client’s voice
You turned complicated product information into something a beginner could understand

Those details show expertise too and they can be especially helpful if you’re a newer writer who doesn’t have huge client results yet.

3. Match the Way the Person Communicates

I recently found a writer callout on LinkedIn written in Old English.

It was a doozy but instead of sending my normal professional little DM, I played along and responded in the same style.

The Content Lead sent me a connection request. Does that mean I’m getting the gig?

Nope.

But I took it as a positive sign because my message got noticed enough that he wanted to stay connected.

And this is something I think freelance writers overlook.

Pay attention to how your prospect communicates.

If their writer callout is casual, you probably don’t need to send:

“Dear Sir, I am writing to formally express my interest in your freelance content writer opportunity…”

Please don’t. 😅

If they’re funny, you can be a little funny or if they’re straightforward, get to the point.

If they use industry jargon, you can show that you understand the terminology.

You’re not copying their personality and showing that you can read the room.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) 2025 Job Outlook survey found that 77.1% of employers looked for written communication skills on a candidate’s resume, while 69.3% looked for verbal communication skills. Flexibility and adaptability came in at 67%.

Again, you’re a freelancer, not necessarily applying for an employee position.

But clients still want people who communicate well.

4. Follow. The. Instructions.

I cannot stress this one enough and it’s probably the easiest thing you can do to stand out.

If the Content Lead says:

Send two writing samples via LinkedIn DM.

Send two writing samples and not three or one.

Don’t send six samples or worse, your entire portfolio.

Don’t find their company email and send your pitch there because you think it’ll help you “skip the competition.”

And please don’t track down their Instagram account and DM them there.

That’s not clever outreach.That’s showing someone that you don’t follow instructions.

I’ve hired and worked with people in my own business, and these tiny things matter.

Think about it from the client’s perspective.

If they can’t trust you to follow a two-sentence instruction when you’re trying to impress them, what’s going to happen when they send you a three-page content brief?

Attention to detail matters here too.

NACE’s employer survey also found 65.9% of employers specifically look for candidates who are detail-oriented.

So when someone gives you instructions for applying, don’t think of them as hoops you have to jump through.

Think of them as your first mini assignment and not to go rogue.

5. Don’t Write a Novel in the Comments

Here’s something else I’ve noticed with LinkedIn writer callouts. Some writers practically submit their autobiography underneath the post. They think that if they use that space and make it long it will stand out, but it really doesn’t.

Instead, it makes people want to SKIM over that big all of text in the comments.

So, for you to stand out, don’t do that!

If the person says to DM them, I’d keep the public comment simple.

Something like:

“This is right in my wheelhouse! I write B2B SaaS content in the digital marketing space. Sending you a DM 🙂”

That’s enough and then put the useful stuff in the DM.

Why?

Because your goal isn’t necessarily to convince them to hire you from a LinkedIn comment. The goal is to get them to look at your message.

That’s the next step.

6. Make Your First Two Lines Count

Think about what the Content Lead is seeing after writing that LinkedIn post and seeing that over 100 writers commented on it.

Potentially dozens of DM messages that start with:

“Hi Sarah! I saw your post looking for freelance writers and I’d love to apply.”

There’s nothing technically wrong with that but Sarah already knows why you’re messaging her.

So use that space for something better. If I were applying for a SaaS writing gig, I might start with:

“You had me at B2B SaaS + digital marketing 🙂 I’ve been writing in this space for years and immediately thought of two pieces that match what you’re looking for.”

Then I’d show them.

Or:

“I saw you’re looking for someone who can interview SMEs rather than rely entirely on desk research. That’s actually one of my favorite parts of writing B2B content.”

Now I’ve immediately connected their requirement to my experience and this make your copy much stronger.

7. Don’t Assume 100 Comments Means 100 Qualified Writers

You don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes. It could be that 40 of those people ignored the niche requirement.

You don’t know if another 20 sent completely unrelated samples or if the Content Lead already contacted someone and they weren’t available.

You also don’t know if the person who looks absolutely PERFECT from their LinkedIn profile sent a terrible pitch.

LinkedIn’s recruiting research is increasingly pointing toward skills-based hiring, too. Its 2025 report found that 93% of talent acquisition professionals consider accurately assessing skills important to improving quality of hire.

Which is why I’d spend less time worrying about the number beside that little comment icon and more time making it obvious that you have the skills they need.

So realize that it’s okay to still apply to gigs when over 100 writers already applied to.

What I Would Do If I Saw a Writer Callout With 100+ Comments

Look –

I JUST started applying to gigs I see in my LinkedIn feed. For years I never did, mostly becuase my feed didn’t have many writer callouts.

Now? Every single day there are dozens and dozens of callouts and I can’t keep up anymore.

So, to stand out my process is pretty simple.

I’d read the entire post first and make sure I know exactly the type of writer they are seeking.

Then I’d look at the Content Lead’s profile and company. From here, I get a feel if this is a start up or an established company. I also rule out any agencies as I want to work directly with the clients.

I’d choose my two or three most relevant samples, not necessarily my two biggest-name clients.

Then I’d write a short message explaining why those samples are relevant and include one or two details about the work behind them.

And finally?

I’d send the thing. I wouldn’t spend another hour debating whether it’s “too late.”

Because I’ve learned something after more than a decade of freelance writing:

You can’t get the freelance writing gig you talked yourself out of applying for.

The competition may be bigger than it used to be. AI may be changing how companies evaluate writers.

LinkedIn callouts might get 100+ responses before you’ve even finished your morning coffee.

But clients still need writers who can research, think, communicate, follow directions and create content that actually helps their business.

So don’t try to look like the other 117 writers.

Give them a reason to remember you.

What do you do to stand out when you apply to those writer callouts on LinkedIn? Share in the comments!