alternative configuration for an overheating resistor
You are talking about splitting the power dissipated by the resistor across multiple resistors. This is a fairly normal and valid approach.

You actually have multiple choices of ways to do that, three of which are shown below.


Two resistors, half the value connected in series.
Two resistors double the value connected in parallel.
Two strings of two resistors of the same value in series, connected in parallel. (Splits the power over 4)








simulate this circuit &ndash; Schematic created using CircuitLab

However, I am concerned this is really an X-Y problem, and your resistor approach may not be the best one. Especially if you are dissipating that much heat through them.