diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 6e23e38..043a1a1 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ char *read_remaining_arguments_as_char(int argc,
     // Allocate memory for the remaining_arguments_string
     remaining_arguments_string = malloc(memory_to_be_allocated_for_remaining_arguments_string);
     if (remaining_arguments_string == NULL) {
-        //not using print_error here intentionally
+        //not using fprintf_error here intentionally
         fprintf(stderr, "Failed to allocate memory while parsing command to be ran.\n");
         exit(1);
     }
@@ -166,8 +166,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 long timeout_arg_value = strtol(optarg, NULL, 10);
                 if (timeout_arg_value < TIMEOUT_MIN_SUPPORTED_VALUE ||
                     timeout_arg_value > TIMEOUT_MAX_SUPPORTED_VALUE || errno != 0) {
-                    printf("Invalid timeout value: \"%s\". Range supported: %ld-%ld\n", optarg,
-                           TIMEOUT_MIN_SUPPORTED_VALUE, TIMEOUT_MAX_SUPPORTED_VALUE);
+                    fprintf_error("Invalid timeout value: \"%s\". Range supported: %ld-%ld", optarg,
+                                  TIMEOUT_MIN_SUPPORTED_VALUE, TIMEOUT_MAX_SUPPORTED_VALUE);
                     print_usage(argv[0]);
                     return 1;
                 }
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         return 1;
     }
     if (quiet && verbose) {
-        printf("Incompatible options --quiet|-q and --verbose|-v used");
+        fprintf_error("Incompatible options --quiet|-q and --verbose|-v used");
         print_usage(argv[0]);
         return 1;
     }
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     x_display = XOpenDisplay(NULL);
     if (!x_display) {
         xscreensaver_is_available = 0;
-        print_error("Couldn't open an X11 display!\n");
+        fprintf_error("Couldn't open an X11 display!");
     } else {
         int xscreensaver_event_base, xscreensaver_error_base; //not sure why these are neeeded
         xscreensaver_is_available = XScreenSaverQueryExtension(x_display, &xscreensaver_event_base,
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     }
 
     if (!xscreensaver_is_available) {
-        print_error("No available method for detecting user idle time on the system, user will be considered idle to allow the command to finish.\n");
+        fprintf_error("No available method for detecting user idle time on the system, user will be considered idle to allow the command to finish.");
     }
 
     pid = run_shell_command(shell_command_to_run, pid);
diff --git a/tty_utils.c b/tty_utils.c
index 3e29231..4cc671f 100644
--- a/tty_utils.c
+++ b/tty_utils.c
@@ -1,15 +1,31 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include "tty_utils.h"
 
-void print_colored_text(FILE *stream, const char *color, const char *message) {
-    if (isatty(fileno(stream))) {
-        fprintf(stream, "\033[%sm%s\033[0m\n", color, message);
-    } else {
-        fprintf(stream, "%s\n", message);
+void print_colored_prefix(FILE *stream, const char *color, bool is_tty) {
+    if (is_tty) {
+        fprintf(stream, "\033[%sm", color);
     }
 }
 
-void print_error(const char *message) {
-    print_colored_text(stderr, "31", message);
+void print_colored_suffix(FILE *stream, bool is_tty) {
+    if (is_tty) {
+        fprintf(stream, "\033[0m\n");
+    } else {
+        fprintf(stream, "\n");
+    }
+}
+
+void fprintf_error(const char *format, ...) {
+    va_list args;
+    va_start(args, format);
+
+    bool is_tty = isatty(fileno(stderr));
+    print_colored_prefix(stderr, "31", is_tty);
+    vfprintf(stderr, format, args);
+    print_colored_suffix(stderr, is_tty);
+
+    va_end(args);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tty_utils.h b/tty_utils.h
index cc3de9f..6324fe0 100644
--- a/tty_utils.h
+++ b/tty_utils.h
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef RUNWHENIDLE_TTY_UTILS_H
 #define RUNWHENIDLE_TTY_UTILS_H
-#include <stdio.h>
-void print_colored_text(FILE* stream, const char* color, const char* message);
-void print_error(const char* message);
+
+void fprintf_error(const char *format, ...);
 
 #endif //RUNWHENIDLE_TTY_UTILS_H