threadiness

Threadiness refers to a literary or rhetorical quality describing writing that feels disconnected, rambling, or overly concerned with trivial details. It often manifests as a lack of a clear, focused argument or narrative progression. Instead of a smooth flow of ideas, thready content can jump between unrelated points, introduce tangential information, or linger on minor aspects without apparent purpose.

This characteristic can be unintentional, stemming from a writer's difficulty in organizing their thoughts or maintaining a coherent structure. It can also be a stylistic choice, though this is less common and often perceived negatively. In informal contexts, "threadiness" might describe a conversation that lacks direction or becomes bogged down in unnecessary explanations. The term implies a lack of conciseness and an abundance of extraneous material, making it difficult for the reader or listener to grasp the main point or follow the intended line of reasoning. The opposite of threadiness would be writing or speech that is direct, focused, and efficient in its communication.