Strings Range:

Don't over-unison the two violins (violin sections); pretty obvious; it would sound unbalanced.
Unison should normally be in a forte passage.

Don't use the viola too high: not more than an octave above its (top) A string ie: to A above middle C. The viola is not a second or third violin: it is a great mid-range/tenor instrument, like the horn; it is a "high cello", and has a unique sound in the lower register.

Don't write the cello up too high either. You can put it up to an actave above its high string ie: G above middle C.

Don't use the bass too low. You should not have more than an octave between cello and bass. The cello and bass octave sound is good, and was even much used by Mozart and Beethoven.

Slurring:

A slur is where the playing is smooth and connected, legato. For strings, don't slur more than a bar at a time, and don't slur the same pitches.
Winds can slur longer.

Horn:

Don't write the horn too high: it has a great low register. It can play C below middle C, which is quite low for an instrument considered to be one of the wind instruments. You should not write a horn part that goes higher than concert A above middle C.

Winds:

Leave space for the players to breath.
The flute is strong high, the oboe is strong low.

Preparation of the music sheets:

Writing and presentation should be careful. Spend time on it, ie: on each part. Sometimes it is good to add cues (a one bar pick-up) to a particular player's part, so they know what is happening around them. Each part must have a tempo marking.

For orchestrating from a piano score:

How do you duplicate any piano pedal effects?
Parts can be "dovetailed": different instruments playing into eachother, to duplicate the piano eg: with arpeggios.

General parts point:

Voice-leading is very important ie: make sure the instrument has a flowing line; fairly obvious. Music is all about flow.

Effects:

The classical equivalent of a wah wah pedal or other electric guitar effect.
Strings:
Pizzicato is the classic "effect". The normal, other, state is of course arco (with bow).
There is also con sordino (with mute)
ponticello (playing on the bridge)
double stops: there are easy and effective doublestops with the open strings
Bowing: up and down

Horn:
Can be muted, with a mute or fist

Dynamics:

That is, how loud, how soft, or in Italian, "how forte, how piano"?
The forte symbol should be followed by a diminuendo mark (to show that the forte passage has now finished).
mf (mezzo forte) is generally not a very expressive indication: you don't need it, as it is seen by many musicians as being neither soft nor loud.
A new part of a work will requirea new dynamic marking (obviously): is it now loud? Is it now slower?

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