Orchestral Wriring

Any tips on writing for strings? I am a woodwind player trying to compose an orchestral work? Any help would be much appreciated! Thank you!

That's a wide open question. What is your level as a musician in general? Are you studying with anyone now? Taking lessons? You should at least be at the level where you know how to read a score. And if so, study the string writing for the kind of music you like. Other than that why not just post something here so that people can take a look at the specifics and give you some suggestions?

I am not studying composition itself, but I am currently majoring in clarinet performance at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. I will look at some scores at the library here at Rutgers. Thanks so much!

Think about bowings in particular.  There's a world of difference between the way a piece feels if you just saw back and forth, down-bow for one note, up-bow for the next note, and careful use of slurs to add small natural accents and dynamics.  It's probably easiest to hear without the distraction of other things happening in a big orchestra piece, so maybe try looking at some pieces for solo violin and piano, or small chamber works.  As a general rule, down-bows give the strongest natural accent, up-bows give a slightly weaker accent and anything slurred in between naturally tends to hairpin dynamics and rubato.  Decide where you'll put your slurs so that when the bow turns around, it's somewhere that you want a little kick in the line anyway.  But a slur with staccatos marked underneath it, so that you stop the bow for each note, and then keep going in the same direction can be really satisfying in a whole body sort of way too.  Down bow followed immediately by another down bow is also immensely rewarding for strident, accented passages.  (A "bow circle.")  Lock yourself away from your roommates and try some air bowing.  You'll find certain patterns just feel satisfying for a given line of music.  It should feel a little like you're dancing.  (You don't have to mark every up and down bow.  String players know what makes sense.  But think about them when you're deciding how to place your slurs.)  

Great advice from @pateceramics. I'd suggest also picking a few string quartets to study and then listening to (or better yet, watching) performances.

Also, since you're at a music school, when in doubt talk to a string player. See if you can buy them a slice of pizza in return for demonstrating something for you.

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6 hours ago, Adrian Quince said:

since you're at a music school, when in doubt talk to a string player

+ 10!!!

Another method for learning bowing is to study the score while watching utube videos.  While not perfect, you can see how the performers handle different passages, as well as see different groups who may or may not bow the same way.  Now your conversation with the string player becomes even more educational.

Thank you so much for the insight and suggestions about bowings! I really appreciate it.