Changing the Way I Write

I am planning to write a serialized fiction book in the next year and I’m facing a very interesting barrier.

Remember when I said I was a quilter? That I randomly assembled books and smoothed them over in an edit for a complete draft?

Yeah, for serialized fiction, where each section should have approximately the same number of words, how in the world am I supposed to make that happen, to plan the number of episodes, without outlining?

The answer: I don’t think I can.

So I’m facing an all new world here. I am not…adverse to outlining. I feel I will waste less time and will have a concise plan for edits, but I’m not sure how motivated I will be to write that way. I have a bit of pantser-based fear: the desire to find out where the story is going by exploring it in the story itself.

So I’m left with two possibilities:

Work to an outline. Plan the outline. Estimate the number of words per scene, book, etc.
Write the entire season, then split it into serials based on natural, probably cliffhanger-y sections

Whatever I end up doing, I am going to try. And learn. And be as honest with myself as possible as for what works for me and what doesn’t.

Have you ever tried to switch up your plotting/pantsing style? What have the benefits been?