Picking early does not encourage more fruit. There are a whole lot of factors that are needed for that. If you wish to pick them early, they may be more tarte, less tasty and if you want to save seeds.... there probably no good. I would wait until they ripen. If you want, try a green one and see if it has taste or heat or if it tastes like a green bell.

I had always heard that picking to encouraging more fruit was a myth but I wonder, there doesn't actually seem to be a lot of actual data proving it either way. I have a very short season here so that makes me worry that I am running out of time to ripen. I will be overwintering them though so I hope to continue fruiting inside. Seasoning peppers are different than other types in that it is advantageous to have green, semi ripe and ripe fruit in your recipes for a full flavour spectrum. I made sofrito with some of the green ones and it was already spot on! I welcome any other thoughts, thank you!