diff --git a/jrnl/cli.py b/jrnl/cli.py
index 0313f8ae..5c4585ce 100644
--- a/jrnl/cli.py
+++ b/jrnl/cli.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from . import Journal
 from . import util
 from . import install
 from . import plugins
+from .util import WARNING_COLOR, ERROR_COLOR, RESET_COLOR
 import jrnl
 import argparse
 import sys
@@ -252,7 +253,7 @@ def run(manual_args=None):
 
     elif args.edit:
         if not config['editor']:
-            util.prompt("[{1}ERROR{2}: You need to specify an editor in {0} to use the --edit function.]".format(install.CONFIG_FILE_PATH, "\033[31m", "\033[0m"))
+            util.prompt("[{1}ERROR{2}: You need to specify an editor in {0} to use the --edit function.]".format(install.CONFIG_FILE_PATH, ERROR_COLOR, RESET_COLOR))
             sys.exit(1)
         other_entries = [e for e in old_entries if e not in journal.entries]
         # Edit
diff --git a/jrnl/plugins/markdown_exporter.py b/jrnl/plugins/markdown_exporter.py
index 157e01b5..346a5a37 100644
--- a/jrnl/plugins/markdown_exporter.py
+++ b/jrnl/plugins/markdown_exporter.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, unicode_literals, print_function
 from .text_exporter import TextExporter
 import re
 import sys
+from ..util import WARNING_COLOR, ERROR_COLOR, RESET_COLOR
 
 
 class MarkdownExporter(TextExporter):
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ class MarkdownExporter(TextExporter):
         newbody = newbody + previous_line   # add very last line
 
         if warn_on_heading_level is True:
-            print("{}WARNING{}: Headings increased past H6 on export - {} {}".format("\033[33m", "\033[0m", date_str, entry.title), file=sys.stderr)
+            print("{}WARNING{}: Headings increased past H6 on export - {} {}".format(WARNING_COLOR, RESET_COLOR, date_str, entry.title), file=sys.stderr)
 
         return "{md} {date} {title} {body} {space}".format(
             md=heading,
diff --git a/jrnl/plugins/text_exporter.py b/jrnl/plugins/text_exporter.py
index 042c66fd..6e550956 100644
--- a/jrnl/plugins/text_exporter.py
+++ b/jrnl/plugins/text_exporter.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import codecs
 from . import BaseExporter
 from ..util import u, slugify
 import os
+from ..util import WARNING_COLOR, ERROR_COLOR, RESET_COLOR
 
 
 class TextExporter(BaseExporter):
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ class TextExporter(BaseExporter):
                 f.write(cls.export_journal(journal))
                 return "[Journal exported to {0}]".format(path)
         except IOError as e:
-            return "[ERROR: {0} {1}]".format(e.filename, e.strerror)
+            return "[{2}ERROR{3}: {0} {1}]".format(e.filename, e.strerror, ERROR_COLOR, RESET_COLOR)
 
     @classmethod
     def make_filename(cls, entry):
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ class TextExporter(BaseExporter):
                 with codecs.open(full_path, "w", "utf-8") as f:
                     f.write(cls.export_entry(entry))
             except IOError as e:
-                return "[ERROR: {0} {1}]".format(e.filename, e.strerror)
+                return "[{2}ERROR{3}: {0} {1}]".format(e.filename, e.strerror, ERROR_COLOR, RESET_COLOR)
         return "[Journal exported to {0}]".format(path)
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/jrnl/plugins/yaml_exporter.py b/jrnl/plugins/yaml_exporter.py
index a777c722..1442adcc 100644
--- a/jrnl/plugins/yaml_exporter.py
+++ b/jrnl/plugins/yaml_exporter.py
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, unicode_literals, print_function
 from .text_exporter import TextExporter
 import re
 import sys
+from ..util import WARNING_COLOR, ERROR_COLOR, RESET_COLOR
 
 
 class YAMLExporter(TextExporter):
-    """This Exporter can convert entries and journals into Markdown with YAML front matter."""
+    """This Exporter can convert entries and journals into Markdown formatted text with YAML front matter."""
     names = ["yaml"]
     extension = "md"
 
@@ -56,11 +57,14 @@ class YAMLExporter(TextExporter):
         newbody = newbody + previous_line   # add very last line
 
         if warn_on_heading_level is True:
-            print("{}WARNING{}: Headings increased past H6 on export - {} {}".format("\033[33m", "\033[0m", date_str, entry.title), file=sys.stderr)
+            print("{}WARNING{}: Headings increased past H6 on export - {} {}".format(WARNING_COLOR, RESET_COLOR, date_str, entry.title), file=sys.stderr)
 
         dayone_attributes = ''
         if hasattr(entry, "uuid"):
             dayone_attributes += 'uuid: ' + entry.uuid + '\n'
+            # TODO: copy over pictures, if present
+            # source directory is  entry.journal.config['journal']
+            # output directory is...?
 
         return "title: {title}\ndate: {date}\nstared: {stared}\ntags: {tags}\n{dayone} {body} {space}".format(
             date = date_str,
@@ -75,5 +79,5 @@ class YAMLExporter(TextExporter):
     @classmethod
     def export_journal(cls, journal):
         """Returns an error, as YAML export requires a directory as a target."""
-        print("{}ERROR{}: YAML export must be to individual files. Please specify a directory to export to.".format("\033[31m", "\033[0m", file=sys.stderr))
+        print("{}ERROR{}: YAML export must be to individual files. Please specify a directory to export to.".format(ERROR_COLOR, RESET_COLOR), file=sys.stderr)
         return
diff --git a/jrnl/util.py b/jrnl/util.py
index e61d0139..a38f7e11 100644
--- a/jrnl/util.py
+++ b/jrnl/util.py
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ STDOUT = sys.stdout
 TEST = False
 __cached_tz = None
 
+WARNING_COLOR = "\033[33m"
+ERROR_COLOR = "\033[31m"
+RESET_COLOR = "\033[0m"
+
 
 def getpass(prompt="Password: "):
     if not TEST: