Establish guidelines for the writing contest. Determine a theme, if you have one, as well as length and type of writing, such as prose, nonfiction or poetry.
Ask for help. Delegate certain duties to others, if possible. Assistance with mailings, keeping track of entry fees and organizing a judge's panel can be very beneficial.
Assemble a judge's panel. If you know any established writers, approach them about being a judge. Your writing contest will draw more entries if entrants are told several well-known authors are going to be reviewing their work.
Determine prizes. If you're looking for a large turn-out, you'll have to offer worthy prizes. You can offer money, publication of the winning story in a magazine or online publication or a trophy.
Advertise the writing contest. Place ads in trade magazines and online publications. Target genre publications that reflect the type of stories you are looking for.