He was educated there and on leaving school was employed in the office of the Kilmarnock Journal, and became local correspondent for the Glasgow North British Mail.
In 1855 Wylie moved on to Edinburgh, where he became sub-editor of the Daily Express, at the same time contributing to the War Telegraph, and attending the classes at the university with a view to the ministry.
Wylie resumed the profession of journalist, from 1870 to 1877 he acted as sub-editor of the Christian World, at the same time writing the parliamentary letter for the North British Mail and the Greenock Telegraph, which he edited more or less from the start.
[1] In 1882 Wylie founded in Glasgow the Christian Leader, and was editor and proprietor of the paper till his death, at Troon, Ayrshire, on 5 August 1891.
For many years he also wrote for the North British Mail two columns of literary notes every Monday, and in 1879 series of articles The Castles and Mansions of the West.