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When composing a fugue subject, one should utilize a I-IV-V-I (for example: C-F-G-C; a-d-E-a) bass line sequence contained within your subject. This sequence may outline the entire subject, or only part of it.
Most traditional fugue subjects are not more than two measures and very rarely more than four (this all depends on the meter too, of course).
Usually the most workable subjects begin after beat one of the first measure (the measure beginning with some kind of a rest). While this is not required, it is MUCH easier to treat these type of subjects when first learning fugue.
Some conservative theorists think the best fugue subjects contain one very distinct interval within them (for example, the dropping diminished seventh in Mozart's Kyrie from the Requiem [which is actually a double fugue]) while the rest of the countersubjects move in steps; seldom jumping. This is an attractive classical fugue technique, however, not particularly daring and somewhat rigid by modern standards.
Hope that helped. =)
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