Good grief

...is something I say fairly often. i.e. Good grief, have I seen "A Charlie Brown Christmas" that many times? Good grief. It's a perfect expression for writers and artists. A brushstroke is too thick and the colour is muddy. Good grief. The book you're writing is too long and you're still not done writing it. Good grief. Another rejection letter. Good grief. You're antsy as you wait for news on your submission, but you know it will be months before you hear back. Good grief. Yep, it sums up the whole process quite nicely.