When good ain't so good

Somewhere I read that there is always a better word than "good" in your screenplay's dialogue. Now every occurrence of the word brings an immediate red flag for me when reading a script. It definitely makes me look at dialogue with a more critical eye.

Let's take a good look at the uses of "good" in the first draft of one of my scripts.

Good morning. Could that be better? The character is a pompous douchebag, so I'd say it could be better. How about something like, Right fine morning? So that's a case when there's a gooder version.

Does a man’s heart good to see a white family on the prairie. Same douchebag speaking. He's actually a racist douchebag. In this case, I'd say that the line of dialogue could be better without "good". Pleasing to my heart to see a white family on this prairie.

Fetch more. And limb wood, a good bunch. Can this one be better without "good"? This is a mother telling her children to get firewood, but more to go away for a few minutes. I'd probably keep this one here. She's speaking to two children under ten years old.

That sneaky red devil certainly be up to no good. This is the racist douchebag's first lieutenant. He's also drunk. This occurrence could definitely go. I'd say that the dialogue should be changed to, That sneaky red devil certainly be up to something.

Covet is good? This is a middle-aged Potawatomi chief with some command of the English language. I'm thinking it would stay. The word would most likely fit the question.

Much too good. Again, I'd keep it. This is response from a middle-aged settler.

Good day, gentlemen. This is Potawatomi Chief Metea who spoke better English than virtually any white man. This occurrence of "good" definitely needs to go. In this case, the character's eloquence could be shown better.

How’s about whiskey? Where’s the good stuff? This character is a jester type. Fearful, boastful and boisterous. Just off the top of my head, this could be improved by something like, Where you keep the spirits? Whiskey and such?

Those uses of "good" in the dialogue of my script were in the first 32 pages. More than half them are in lines of dialogue that definitely could be improved. So maybe checking your screenplays for uses of the word good in dialogue can help you become a better writer.

I would also include "ly", "is" and "are" in that list of what to search for in a screenplay. Maybe one of these days I'll find occurrences of these that can be eliminated to strengthen a screenplay.