As I sit here writing up my experimental design for a research methods class, I read this passage in a book. Page 488, one paragraph down of the most recent Social Psychology handbook, fourth edition.

"This paradoxical finding-that rewards undermine intrinsic motivation-has been observed in numerous studies...By making people feel controlled rather than autonomous, various extrinsic factors commonly found in the workplace [and now our writing groups]-punishment, close supervision, evaluation, deadlines, and competition-also have adverse effects on motivation and performance."

It just got me thinking about the current deadlines put on our writing. Get a chapter in by x date or your character dies and might not be allowed to be brought back to life. It would be sad if these policies, originally implemented to increase postings, were having the opposite effects. This is after all, mere a writing group, one meant for fun. Things which hinder that fun should be eliminated, if possible. If it takes us 2 decades to finish, does that really matter? As long as the authors have fun and enjoy themselves throughout?

Food for thought. matt, back to the paper.

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