diff --git a/src/errors/pretty-print.ts b/src/errors/pretty-print.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b20536
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/errors/pretty-print.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import clean = require('clean-stack')
+
+export interface PrettyPrintableError {
+  /**
+   * messsage to display related to the error
+   */
+  message?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * a unique error code for this instance of the error
+   */
+  code?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * a url to find out more information related to this error
+   * or fixing the error
+   */
+  ref?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * a suggestion that may be useful or provide additional context
+   */
+  suggestion?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * a string representation of a stack trace for the error
+   */
+  stack?: string;
+}
+
+function formatStack(error: PrettyPrintableError) {
+  let stack = error.stack ?? ''
+  stack = clean(error.stack || '', {pretty: true})
+
+  // remove message from top of stack if one exists
+  // this will be displayed elsewhere in the pretty printed
+  // error
+  if (error.message) {
+    const split = error.stack?.split('\n') ?? []
+    split.shift()
+    stack = split.join('\n')
+  }
+
+  return stack
+}
+
+export default function prettyPrint(error: PrettyPrintableError) {
+  const {message, code, suggestion, ref, stack} = error
+
+  const formattedCode = code ? `Code: ${code}` : undefined
+  const formattedSuggestion = suggestion ? `Suggestion: ${suggestion}` : undefined
+  const formattedReference = ref ? `Reference: ${ref}` : undefined
+  const formattedStack = stack ? formatStack(error) : undefined
+
+  return [message, formattedCode, formattedSuggestion, formattedReference, formattedStack]
+  .filter(Boolean)
+  .join('\n')
+}
diff --git a/test/pretty-print.test.ts b/test/pretty-print.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d27890
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/pretty-print.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import {expect, fancy} from 'fancy-test'
+import prettyPrint, {PrettyPrintableError} from '../src/errors/pretty-print'
+const stripAnsi = require('strip-ansi')
+
+describe('pretty-print', () => {
+  fancy
+  .it('pretty prints an error', async () => {
+    const sampleError: Error & PrettyPrintableError = new Error('Something very serious has gone wrong with the flags!')
+    sampleError.ref = 'https://oclif.io/docs/flags'
+    sampleError.code = 'OCLIF_BAD_FLAG'
+    sampleError.suggestion = 'Try using using a good flag'
+
+    expect(
+      stripAnsi(prettyPrint(sampleError)),
+    ).to.contain(`Something very serious has gone wrong with the flags!
+Code: OCLIF_BAD_FLAG
+Suggestion: Try using using a good flag
+Reference: https://oclif.io/docs/flags
+    at`)
+  })
+
+  fancy
+  .it('handles omitted fields', async () => {
+    const sampleError = new Error('Something very serious has gone wrong with the flags!')
+
+    expect(
+      stripAnsi(prettyPrint(sampleError)),
+    ).to.contain(`Something very serious has gone wrong with the flags!
+    at`)
+  })
+})