Going Live on Stanza

Live lets you read and perform for your audience in real time, with reactions and chat flowing as you go. Go live in a tap from your phone, straight from your browser, or with streaming software such as OBS for a more produced session.

Starting or scheduling a session

Open Live from Create and set up a session:

• Go live immediately, or Schedule it for a Start time in the future.
• Duration and Repeat — for regular sessions, such as a weekly open mic.
• Privacy — Public, Followers, Friends, Private or an Inner circle. Circles also have their own Go Live button.

A scheduled session starts automatically when your encoder connects or your browser broadcast begins. You can Cancel session any time before it starts.

Remind me

On a scheduled public reading, readers can choose Remind me. When you go live, everyone who asked is notified once; a follower who also asked gets the reminder only. It is not offered on your own performance. If you reschedule, the reminders stay; if you cancel or the session ends, they are removed quietly. Tapping Remind me with notifications off offers to turn them on.

First-time setup

The first time you open Live, Stanza asks you to finish setting up your stream and walks you to your stream settings.

Three ways to stream

• From your phone — go live in the Stanza app using your camera. Ideal for a quick solo reading.
• From your browser — choose Go live from browser to stream from your computer's camera. No software required.
• With streaming software — for multiple cameras, overlays or better audio, use an app such as OBS. Copy your Ingest URL and Stream key from your stream settings into the app's stream server settings.

While you are live

Choose which ways your audience can take part. Each has a default you can change per session:

• Live chat — with slow mode available, and tools to mute or remove disruptive viewers.
• Reactions — Cheer, Encore and Tomato, flowing in real time.
• Snaps — finger-snap reactions, the quiet applause of a poetry reading.
• Gifting — let viewers send you confections during the performance.
• Open mic — let audience members request a turn at the mic.

Ending a session

Choose End Stream. Recording stops when you end the session. Ending a session also gives you a fresh stream key automatically, so streaming software connected with the old key is disconnected — copy the new key before your next session.

Replays

Sessions are recorded. When the recording is ready, it becomes the session's replay, listed under Recordings, so people who missed it can watch later.

Keeping your stream key safe

Your stream key lets anyone who has it broadcast as you. Never share it or show it on screen. If you think it has leaked, choose Rotate key in your stream settings — the old key stops working immediately. The key is hidden while you are live, and cannot be rotated mid-session.

Plan limits

On the free plan you can run a limited number of live sessions each month. Stanza Pro removes that limit. If you reach it, Stanza lets you know before you go live.