Here's what I do:

I kneel on the floor with the cat in between my legs. I criss-cross my feet so they can't wiggle out backwards.

I then take one paw and while softly talking to them, I clip. Some of my cats don't like it and will growl, but they know they're getting a treat afterwards.

Now my daughter's cat is a totally different story. I have to clip her nails every 2 weeks. My daughter sits on the couch with callie in her lap. She has her by the scruff of the neck and an arm around her middle so she can't move at all. I do all 4 paws at once. She hisses and spits, and growls but she also knows she'll get a treat when she through, going as far as sitting near the cabinet where the treats are.

One more thing I forgot, always make sure the clippers are sharp, because if they aren't, the cat's claws will splinter.

Every cat is different. Some hate it more than others.