diff --git a/jrnl/Journal.py b/jrnl/Journal.py
index 60118184..4c49ad39 100644
--- a/jrnl/Journal.py
+++ b/jrnl/Journal.py
@@ -179,13 +179,16 @@ class Journal(object):
                             pp)
         return pp
 
+    def pprint(self):
+        return self.__unicode__()
+
     def __repr__(self):
         return "<Journal with {} entries>".format(len(self.entries))
 
     def write(self, filename=None):
         """Dumps the journal into the config file, overwriting it"""
         filename = filename or self.config['journal']
-        journal = "\n".join([unicode(e) for e in self.entries])
+        journal = "\n".join([e.__unicode__() for e in self.entries])
         if self.config['encrypt']:
             journal = self._encrypt(journal)
             with open(filename, 'wb') as journal_file:
diff --git a/jrnl/exporters.py b/jrnl/exporters.py
index 5bd687cf..4e2a9492 100644
--- a/jrnl/exporters.py
+++ b/jrnl/exporters.py
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ try: from slugify import slugify
 except ImportError: import slugify
 try: import simplejson as json
 except ImportError: import json
+try: from .util import u
+except (SystemError, ValueError): from util import u
+
 
 def get_tags_count(journal):
     """Returns a set of tuples (count, tag) for all tags present in the journal."""
@@ -60,7 +63,7 @@ def to_md(journal):
 
 def to_txt(journal):
     """Returns the complete text of the Journal."""
-    return unicode(journal)
+    return journal.pprint()
 
 def export(journal, format, output=None):
     """Exports the journal to various formats.
@@ -93,7 +96,7 @@ def export(journal, format, output=None):
 def write_files(journal, path, format):
     """Turns your journal into separate files for each entry.
     Format should be either json, md or txt."""
-    make_filename = lambda entry: e.date.strftime("%C-%m-%d_{}.{}".format(slugify(unicode(e.title)), format))
+    make_filename = lambda entry: e.date.strftime("%C-%m-%d_{}.{}".format(slugify(u(e.title)), format))
     for e in journal.entries:
         full_path = os.path.join(path, make_filename(e))
         if format == 'json':
@@ -101,7 +104,7 @@ def write_files(journal, path, format):
         elif format == 'md':
             content = e.to_md()
         elif format == 'txt':
-            content = unicode(e)
+            content = u(e)
         with open(full_path, 'w') as f:
             f.write(content)
     return "[Journal exported individual files in {}]".format(path)
diff --git a/jrnl/jrnl.py b/jrnl/jrnl.py
index 3eba8700..37a310b7 100755
--- a/jrnl/jrnl.py
+++ b/jrnl/jrnl.py
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ def cli(manual_args=None):
     # Writing mode
     if mode_compose:
         raw = " ".join(args.text).strip()
-        if type(raw) is not unicode:
+        if util.PY2 and type(raw) is not unicode:
             raw = raw.decode(sys.getfilesystemencoding())
         entry = journal.new_entry(raw, args.date)
         entry.starred = args.star
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ def cli(manual_args=None):
                        strict=args.strict,
                        short=args.short)
         journal.limit(args.limit)
-        print(unicode(journal))
+        print(journal.pprint())
 
     # Various export modes
     elif args.tags:
diff --git a/jrnl/util.py b/jrnl/util.py
index 5f7f0c52..4279bab0 100644
--- a/jrnl/util.py
+++ b/jrnl/util.py
@@ -3,10 +3,15 @@
 import sys
 import os
 from tzlocal import get_localzone
+PY3 = sys.version_info[0] == 3
+PY2 = sys.version_info[0] == 2
+
+def u(s):
+    """Mock unicode function for python 2 and 3 compatibility."""
+    return s if PY3 else unicode(s, "unicode_escape")
 
 STDIN = sys.stdin
 STDOUT = sys.stdout
-
 __cached_tz = None
 
 def py23_input(msg):