diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 88e2258..59c85c4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -129,6 +129,10 @@ log.levels('foo', log.WARN)   // set level of stream named 'foo' to WARN
 * `writers`: Map of log level string names to console functions, default is
   `null`. Use this to customize the functions used when `console` is `true`,
   see [writers](#writers).
+* `pedantic`: A boolean or string which indicates messages should be reformatted to end with a period.  If a string, the string is used instead of a period.
+* `capitalize`: A boolean which indicates all messages should be reformatted to begin with an uppercase letter.
+* `normalize`: A shortcut for `pedantic: true` and `capitalize: true`.
+* `formatter`: A custom function which accepts a string and returns a string.  Applied to all messages after parameter interpolation.
 
 If you specify any unknown properties in the configuration then these are considered *persistent fields* and are added to every log record. This is a convenient way to add labels for sub-components to log records.
 
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 4e07847..a7281f1 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ var os = require('os');
 var path = require('path'), basename = path.basename;
 var util = require('util');
 var circular = require('circular');
-var merge = require('cli-util').merge;
+var utils = require('cli-util');
+var merge = utils.merge;
+var ucfirst = utils.ucfirst;
+var pedantic = utils.pedantic;
 
 var pkg = require(path.join(__dirname, 'package.json'));
 var major = parseInt(pkg.version.split('.')[0]), z;
@@ -51,7 +54,11 @@ var defaults = {
   writers: null,
   level: null,
   stream: null,
-  streams: null
+  streams: null,
+  normalize: false,
+  pedantic: false,
+  capitalize: false,
+  formatter: null
 }
 
 /**
@@ -409,11 +416,17 @@ Logger.prototype.serialize = function(k, v) {
  */
 Logger.prototype.write = function(level, record, parameters, force) {
   var i, target, listeners = this.listeners('write'), json, params, event;
-  var msg = '' + record.msg, prefix;
+  var msg = '' + record.msg, prefix, conf = this.conf;
+  var formatter = conf.formatter, pedantic = conf.pedantic, normalize = conf.normalize,
+    capitalize = conf.capitalize;
   level = level || record.level;
   params = parameters.slice(0);
   params.unshift(record.msg);
   record.msg = util.format.apply(util, params);
+  // if we have not just stringified an object or array, try to format the string.
+  if (!/^[{\[].*[}\]]$/.test(record.msg)) {
+    record.msg = this._formatMessage(record.msg);
+  }
   //console.log('writing %j', record);
   for(i = 0;i < this.streams.length;i++) {
     target = this.streams[i];
@@ -463,6 +476,36 @@ Logger.prototype.write = function(level, record, parameters, force) {
   return (listeners.length === 0 && event !== undefined);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Potentially runs one or more of `utils.pedantic()` or `utils.ucfirst()` upon a log message.
+ * @api private
+ * @param {string} message Log message to reformat
+ * @returns {string}
+ */
+Logger.prototype._formatMessage = function _formatMessage(message) {
+  var conf = this.conf,
+    formatter = conf.formatter;
+  // if option "normalize" is true, the string "like this" should look "Like this."
+  // if set, it will override options "pedantic" and "ucfirst".
+  if (conf.normalize) {
+    message = ucfirst(pedantic(message));
+  }
+  else {
+    // if option "pedantic" is truthy, end the message with a period, or a user-defined string.
+    if (conf.pedantic) {
+      message = pedantic(message, typeof conf.pedantic === 'string' && conf.pedantic);
+    }
+    // if option "capitalize" is truthy, capitalize the first letter of the message.
+    if (conf.capitalize) {
+      message = ucfirst(message);
+    }
+  }
+  if (formatter && typeof formatter === 'function') {
+    message = formatter(message);
+  }
+  return message;
+};
+
 /**
  *  Log a message.
  *
diff --git a/test/unit/formatters.js b/test/unit/formatters.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bda611a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/formatters.js
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+var expect = require('chai').expect;
+var logger = require('../..');
+
+describe('cli-logger:', function () {
+  it('should write using normalize flag if present', function (done) {
+    var msg = 'mock write %s';
+    var parameters = ['info'];
+    var expected = 'Mock write info.';
+    var name = 'mock-write-logger';
+    var conf = {name: name, json: true, streams: [
+      {path: 'log/mock-write.log'}
+    ], normalize: true};
+    var log = logger(conf);
+    log.on('write', function (record) {
+      expect(record.msg).to.eql(expected);
+      expect(record.err.message).to.eql('boom');
+      done();
+    });
+    log.info(new Error('boom'), msg, parameters[0]);
+  });
+  it('should prefer normalize flag over custom pedantic string', function (done) {
+    var msg = 'mock write %s';
+    var parameters = ['info'];
+    var expected = 'Mock write info.';
+    var name = 'mock-write-logger';
+    var conf = {name: name, json: true, streams: [
+      {path: 'log/mock-write.log'}
+    ], normalize: true, pedantic: '?'};
+    var log = logger(conf);
+    log.on('write', function (record) {
+      expect(record.msg).to.eql(expected);
+      expect(record.err.message).to.eql('boom');
+      done();
+    });
+    log.info(new Error('boom'), msg, parameters[0]);
+  });
+  it('should not attempt format a stringified object', function (done) {
+    var msg = {foo: 'bar'};
+    var expected = JSON.stringify(msg);
+    var name = 'mock-write-logger';
+    var conf = {name: name, json: false, streams: [
+      {path: 'log/mock-write.log'}
+    ], normalize: true, pedantic: true, capitalize: true, formatter: function formatter(msg) {
+      return msg.replace(/"/g, "'");
+    }};
+    var log = logger(conf);
+    log.on('write', function (record) {
+      expect(record.msg).to.eql(expected);
+      done();
+    });
+    log.info(msg);
+  });
+  it('should not attempt format a stringified array', function (done) {
+    var msg = ['bar'];
+    var expected = JSON.stringify(msg);
+    var name = 'mock-write-logger';
+    var conf = {name: name, json: false, streams: [
+      {path: 'log/mock-write.log'}
+    ], normalize: true, pedantic: true, capitalize: true, formatter: function formatter(msg) {
+      return msg.replace(/"/g, "'");
+    }};
+    var log = logger(conf);
+    log.on('write', function (record) {
+      expect(record.msg).to.eql(expected);
+      done();
+    });
+    log.info(msg);
+  });
+  it('should capitalize the first letter of the message', function (done) {
+    var msg = 'mock write %s';
+    var parameters = ['info'];
+    var expected = 'Mock write info';
+    var name = 'mock-write-logger';
+    var conf = {name: name, json: true, streams: [
+      {path: 'log/mock-write.log'}
+    ], capitalize: true};
+    var log = logger(conf);
+    log.on('write', function (record) {
+      expect(record.msg).to.eql(expected);
+      expect(record.err.message).to.eql('boom');
+      done();
+    });
+    log.info(new Error('boom'), msg, parameters[0]);
+  });
+  it('should end the string with a period', function (done) {
+    var msg = 'mock write %s';
+    var parameters = ['info'];
+    var expected = 'mock write info.';
+    var name = 'mock-write-logger';
+    var conf = {name: name, json: true, streams: [
+      {path: 'log/mock-write.log'}
+    ], pedantic: true};
+    var log = logger(conf);
+    log.on('write', function (record) {
+      expect(record.msg).to.eql(expected);
+      expect(record.err.message).to.eql('boom');
+      done();
+    });
+    log.info(new Error('boom'), msg, parameters[0]);
+
+  });
+  it('should leverage custom pedantic "period" if present', function (done) {
+    var msg = 'mock write info';
+    var expected = 'mock write info!@!~!~!~!11!1!';
+    var name = 'mock-write-logger';
+    var conf = {name: name, json: true, streams: [
+      {path: 'log/mock-write.log'}
+    ], pedantic: '!@!~!~!~!11!1!'};
+    var log = logger(conf);
+    log.on('write', function (record) {
+      expect(record.msg).to.eql(expected);
+      expect(record.err.message).to.eql('boom');
+      done();
+    });
+    log.info(new Error('boom'), msg);
+  });
+  it('should allow a user-defined formatter', function (done) {
+    var msg = 'mock write %s';
+    var formatter = function formatter(msg) {
+      return msg.replace('write', 'WRITE');
+    };
+    var parameters = ['info'];
+    var expected = 'mock WRITE info';
+    var name = 'mock-write-logger';
+    var conf = {name: name, json: true, streams: [
+      {path: 'log/mock-write.log'}
+    ], formatter: formatter};
+    var log = logger(conf);
+    log.on('write', function (record) {
+      expect(record.msg).to.eql(expected);
+      expect(record.err.message).to.eql('boom');
+      done();
+    });
+    log.info(new Error('boom'), msg, parameters[0]);
+  });
+});