You can't expect a whole sword to get sharper by honing the first inch.
Therefore, you can't expect your writing to get better by only editing unfinished work.
You get better by finishing.
Now, there are different remedies depending on the issue.
Drained
If you're drained, then take a break from writing. If there's nothing inside, now is not the time to write. Read, watch tv, go for a walk, do other art you enjoy. Exercise and relax and generally replenish yourself. There's nothing wrong with giving back to yourself.
Scared
Forget what other people think and just write the thing. Everyone is scared, it will be bad. That's what editing is for.
Swimming in a sea of unknowns
Research the living daylights out of your topic. Pick up biographies, fiction, reference books (history, medical, psychology). Trawl over google for what information you need.
Firsthand experience is not the only way to write things. "Write what you know" is incomplete. It should be "write what you know you can find out." We live in the information age which means everybody can find basically anything. You can also use your imagination to figure out how it would feel to be in that position.
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Once you've figured out your issue, apply the remedy, write, finish, rewrite.
You'll get better.
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